Next Sunday’s Readings……..……

                                      October 12, 2008

                                      28^th Sunday In Ordinary Time

                                      Theme: Get Ready For The Feast!

First Reading: Isaiah 25:6-10A

          The Lord of hosts will provide for all peoples

          a feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy,

          rich food and pure, choice wines.

Two proofs for Original Sin are set down at every feasting table. 

First:  along with all the rich and savory foods, there lurks fat,

cholesterol, bacteria that could make you very sick. The second: 

no matter how many choice wines there are to drink, some

people cannot drink at all because of a disorder they inherited. 

This approach/avoidance conflict can lead to eating disorders,

binge dieting, and plain old guilt about what we consume and

how much. A third proof of Original Sin is how some people

won’t have anything to eat tonight—or even all week. How do

we approach the idea of feasting under these uncomfortable

circumstances? Prophecy reminds us that the elements of sin

and injustice that deform our world are temporary. One day, the

tears will be wiped from every face, and maybe the calories

magically removed from every plate. All of us will be free to

raise a toast at the celestial banquet. What can you do to

reduce “the sin factor” present at every meal?

Second Reading: Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20

          Brothers and sisters:  I know how to live in

          humble circumstances; I also know how to

          live with abundance.

What is the key to living gratefully rather than greedily? Saint

Paul says it’s to learn the secret of accepting what you have, no

matter what you have. When you have a lot, praise God for

abundance! When you have a little, appreciate and savor what

there is. Above all, in times of feasting or fasting, trust that God

will fully supply what is necessary. Believe that everything is gift

and give thanks in all circumstances to the Giver. Reflect on a

time of need and one of abundance. How did each affect

your relationship with God?

Gospel: Matthew 21:1 -14

          Go out, therefore, into the main roads and

          invite to the feast whomever you find.

The stories of the kingdom of heaven in the gospel of Matthew

this year sounded quite bright and cheery in the beginning: It’s a

treasure! It’s a pearl! It’s fresh bread rising! But lately, the

parables of the kingdom move in the direction of devastation.

Last week, the tenants of the vineyard kill the vintner’s son and

will themselves be killed. This week, those invited to the

wedding not only refuse to come but they kill the messengers

sent to invite them. Among the belated guests to accept the

invitation is a man ill-prepared for a wedding. He is bound and

cast out into the night. So what happened to the kingdom? Is it

no longer the “happily ever after” it used to be? Simply put, the

closer Jesus gets to Jerusalem, the more rejection he faces.

He’s been issuing an invitation for three years that has been

returned with increasing hostility. When the invitation comes to

us, do we get dressed to the nines—or send our regrets? How

have you prepared to accept the invitation to the kingdom

feast by your actions today?

Faith Response: Give to the poor. Fast. Always prepare

completely for the feast when approaching the Eucharistic

Table at daily and Sunday Mass.

Extracted, with permission granted for use, from Exploring the Sunday Mass

Readings copyright 2008 by Twenty-Third Publications .

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