Reflection for October 11 Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time: Matthew 22:1-14

Gospel: Matthew 22:1-14

Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and the elders of the people in parables saying, “The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come.  

A second time he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast.” Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them.  

The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then the king said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.’  

The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.   

He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

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Reflection:

The story is told of a father who would always wake up early every Sunday to prepare himself for Holy Mass. He would patiently wait to hear the church bells toll. The moment he heard them, he would tell his family, “The tolling of the church bells is the Lord’s invitation. Let us respond to His call and go to church for Holy Mass.”

As we journey through life, there will be people who invite us to attend Holy Mass. However, because of our many preoccupations, we sometimes turn a deaf ear to their invitations. We hear them, but we do not take their words seriously. We allow our busy schedules, personal concerns, and worldly pursuits to take precedence over our time with God. If only we would take the time to listen and respond, we would open ourselves to countless blessings and grow closer to the Lord who leads us toward eternal life.

Have we ever stopped to reflect on the blessings we receive when we attend Holy Mass? When we participate in its sacred celebration, we experience a foretaste of heaven while we are still in this world. We encounter Jesus in the Eucharist, receive spiritual nourishment, and find healing for our wounded hearts. Through God's grace, we also receive strength and comfort as we face our physical illnesses, emotional struggles, and other challenges in life. Although our problems may not immediately disappear, we can find peace and renewed hope in the presence of the Lord.

Consider our brothers and sisters who faithfully attend daily Mass, including many senior citizens who continue to make time for God despite the limitations that may come with age. Their devotion reminds us that our relationship with the Lord should not depend on our age, health, circumstances, or convenience. No matter what season of life we are in, we always have a reason to draw closer to God. The more we nurture our spiritual lives, the more we learn to depend on His grace and face life's difficulties with faith and courage.

In our Gospel, a king prepared a wedding banquet and sent his servants to call the invited guests to the feast. Sadly, they refused to heed the invitation because they were preoccupied with their own concerns. Some went to their fields, while others attended to their businesses.

They allowed their worldly pursuits to take precedence over the invitation extended to them. As a result, they missed the opportunity to be present at the king's banquet—a celebration where they could have enjoyed the king's generosity, experienced his goodness, and established a closer relationship with him.

How often do we act like these invited guests? God continually invites us to draw closer to Him, yet we sometimes allow work, family concerns, personal ambitions, entertainment, and other distractions to occupy most of our time. We may tell ourselves that we will attend Mass when our schedules become less demanding or when we have fewer problems to worry about. But will that perfect time ever come? If we keep postponing our response to God's invitation, we may miss the blessings He wants us to receive today.

The Lord does not invite us to Holy Mass merely to fulfill an obligation. He invites us because He loves us and desires to nourish our souls, strengthen our faith, and deepen our relationship with Him. Every celebration of the Holy Mass gives us an opportunity to listen to His Word, receive Jesus in the Eucharist, and unite our joys, sorrows, struggles, and hopes with His perfect offering to the Father. It is also an opportunity for us to remember that our earthly concerns, however important they may be, should never completely take the place of God in our lives.

Let us, therefore, learn from the father who eagerly responded to the tolling of the church bells. May we also develop hearts that are attentive to God's invitation and willing to respond with love. Let us not allow our busyness, excuses, or worldly attachments to keep us away from the Lord. We have so much to gain when we make time for Him: a deeper faith, a more loving heart, the grace to persevere through trials, and the hope of eternal life.

God continues to invite us to His banquet. The question is not whether He is calling us, but whether we are willing to listen and respond. When the church bells ring and the Lord invites us to encounter Him in the Holy Mass, will we continue to make excuses and allow the concerns of this world to keep us away, or will we open our hearts, set aside our distractions, and joyfully come into the presence of the One who loves us and calls us to eternal life?—Marino J. Dasmarinas