It is only beginning

Sunday 11 October 2026

Lectio Divina:*

Isaiah 25:6-10 Psalm 23 (22) Philippians 4:12-14 Matthew 22:1-14

(See also Luke 14:15-25)

Meditatio:

“For many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14)

Commentary:

At first hearing, the parable of the wedding banquet can be unsettling. The king's reaction to those who reject his invitation seems harsh to modern ears. Yet we would be mistaken if we were to read this simply as a story about an angry earthly ruler. Jesus often uses vivid and challenging images to awaken us to the seriousness of God's invitation and the tragedy of refusing it. The focus of the parable is not so much divine vengeance but divine generosity.

The invitation is extraordinary. In the first reading, Isaiah gives us a vision of the Lord preparing ‘a feast of rich food and well-aged wines’ for all peoples. On that holy mountain God promises to destroy death itself and wipe away every tear. The banquet is a sign of salvation, communion and joy. In Psalm 23, the Lord, the Good Shepherd, prepares a table before us and leads us through even the darkest valley. We need not be afraid, for he is with us. The Gospel wedding feast, Isaiah's banquet and the psalmist's table all point towards the same reality: God's desire to share his own life with his people.

This is why the Eucharist lies at the heart of Christian life. Beneath simple signs of bread and wine is hidden the life of the risen Christ. Here the Lord gathers us, nourishes us and strengthens us for the journey. Like the shepherd of Psalm 23, he accompanies us through the joys and sorrows of life, feeding us with the food that endures.

St Paul, writing to the Church at Philippi, speaks with remarkable freedom and confidence. He has known abundance and want, success and hardship. Yet he can say: ‘I can do all things through him who strengthens me’. His security comes not from circumstances but from Christ. The Eucharist forms this same confidence within us. At the Lord's table we learn that we are never alone and that Christ remains our strength whatever trials we face.

The tragedy in today’s extract from the Gospel is that some people are too occupied with their own concerns to recognise the greatness of what is being offered. The invitation is ignored because other projects seem more urgent. Yet the Kingdom of God is the pearl beyond price, the treasure hidden in the field. If only we truly grasped what the Lord offers us, we would not ask, ‘Why should I go to Mass?’ but rather, ‘How fortunate I am to be invited’.

The guest without a wedding garment reminds us that accepting God's invitation involves more than merely showing up. The wedding garment symbolises a heart transformed by grace, clothed in love. The Eucharist is God's free gift, but it calls for a response. We come not as spectators but as disciples willing to be changed.

Every Sunday, then, we stand between promise and fulfilment. We gather around the table prepared by the Good Shepherd, we receive strength with St Paul for the journey ahead, and we anticipate the great heavenly banquet foreseen by Isaiah. The Eucharist is both bread for the journey and a foretaste of the feast to come. Having celebrated in one particular place, we are sent out to extend that joy into our homes, workplaces and communities. The party does not end when Mass ends. It has only begun.