Come to the Feast

“On this mountain, the Lord of hosts / will provide for all peoples / a feast of rich food and choice wines” (Isaiah 25:6). That’s what Isaiah tells us today. God is putting together a huge party for “all peoples,” to “wipe away / the tears from every face” (Isaiah 25:8).

And what does Jesus tell us? The reign of God, he says, “may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son” (Matthew 22:2). When the guests didn’t come, the king had his servants go out “into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find” (Matthew 22:9). We are called to deliver that invitation.

One of the themes woven into today’s liturgy is that of divine generosity. Asleep to reality, people often think they have “earned” what they have. In our better moments, though, we know that all our gifts—even the spiritual gifts—come through God’s generosity. Our vocation is to invite people, to remind them the tickets aren’t for sale. We can only show up and say thank you.