From: Luke 14:15-24

Parable of the Invited Guests

[15] When one of those who sat at table with Him (Jesus) heard this,
he said to Him, “Blessed is he who shall eat bread in the Kingdom of
God!” [16] But He said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet,
and invited many; [17] and at the time for the banquet he sent his ser-
vant to say to those who had been invited, `Come; for all is now ready.’
[18] But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him,
`I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it; I pray you, have
me excused.’ [19] And another said, `I have bought five yoke of oxen,
and I go to examine them; I pray you, have me excused.’ [20] And
another said, `I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’
[21] So the servant came and reported this to his master. Then the
householder in anger said to his servant, `Go out quickly to the streets
and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and
lame.’ [22] And the servant said, `Sir, what you commanded has been
done, and still there is room.’ [23] And the master said to the servant,
`Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel people to come in,
that my house may be filled. [24] For I tell you, none of those who
were invited shall taste my banquet.’”

Commentary:

15. In biblical language the expression “to eat bread in the Kingdom of
God” means sharing in eternal beatitude, of which this great banquet is
a symbol (cf. Isaiah 25:6; Matthew 22:1-4).

16-24. If God invites someone to know Him in faith, he should sacrifice
any human interest which gets in the way of replying to God’s call, no
matter how lawful and noble it be. The objections we tend to put for-
ward, the duties we appeal to, are really just excuses. This is why the
ungrateful invitees are blameworthy.

“Compel people to come in”: it is not a matter of forcing anyone’s free-
dom — God does not want us to love Him under duress—but of helping
a person to make right decisions, to shrug off any human respect, to
avoid occasions of sin, to do what he can to discover the truth.... A
person is “compelled to come in” through prayer, the example of a
Christian life, friendship—in a word, apostolate. “If in order to save an
earthly life it is praiseworthy to use force to stop a man from commit-
ting suicide, are we not to be allowed use of the same force—holy
coercion — to save the Life (with a capital) of many who are stupidly
bent on killing their souls?” ([St] J. Escriva, “The Way”, 399).

Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”.
Biblical text from the Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate.
Commentaries by members of the Faculty of Theology, University
of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin,
Ireland.
Reprinted with permission from from Four Courts Press and Scepter
Publishers, the U.S. publishers.

Mass Readings

First reading	Romans 12:5 - 16 ©
All of us, in union with Christ, form one body, and as parts of it we belong to each other. Our gifts differ according to the grace given us. If your gift is prophecy, then use it as your faith suggests; if administration, then use it for administration; if teaching, then use it for teaching. Let the preachers deliver sermons, the almsgivers give freely, the officials be diligent, and those who do works of mercy do them cheerfully. Do not let your love be a pretence, but sincerely prefer good to evil. Love each other as much as brothers should, and have a profound respect for each other. Work for the Lord with untiring effort and with great earnestness of spirit. If you have hope, this will make you cheerful. Do not give up if trials come; and keep on praying. If any of the saints are in need you must share with them; and you should make hospitality your special care. Bless those who persecute you: never curse them, bless them. Rejoice with those who rejoice and be sad with those in sorrow. Treat everyone with equal kindness; never be condescending but make real friends with the poor. Do not allow yourself to become self-satisfied.

First reading

All of us, in union with Christ, form one body, and as parts of it we belong to each other. Our gifts differ according to the grace given us. If your gift is prophecy, then use it as your faith suggests; if administration, then use it for administration; if teaching, then use it for teaching. Let the preachers deliver sermons, the almsgivers give freely, the officials be diligent, and those who do works of mercy do them cheerfully.
Do not let your love be a pretence, but sincerely prefer good to evil. Love each other as much as brothers should, and have a profound respect for each other. Work for the Lord with untiring effort and with great earnestness of spirit. If you have hope, this will make you cheerful. Do not give up if trials come; and keep on praying. If any of the saints are in need you must share with them; and you should make hospitality your special care.
Bless those who persecute you: never curse them, bless them. Rejoice with those who rejoice and be sad with those in sorrow. Treat everyone with equal kindness; never be condescending but make real friends with the poor. Do not allow yourself to become self-satisfied.

Psalm or canticle	Psalm 130 (131)
Childlike trust in God
Lord, I do not puff myself up or stare about, or walk among the great or seek wonders beyond me. Truly calm and quiet I have made my spirit: quiet as a weaned child in its mother’s arms – like an infant is my soul. Let Israel hope in the Lord, now and for all time.

Gospel	Luke 14:15 - 24 ©
On hearing this, one of those gathered round the table said to him, ‘Happy the man who will be at the feast in the kingdom of God!’ But he said to him, ‘There was a man who gave a great banquet, and he invited a large number of people. When the time for the banquet came, he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, “Come along: everything is ready now”. But all alike started to make excuses. The first said, “I have bought a piece of land and must go and see it. Please accept my apologies.” Another said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen and am on my way to try them out. Please accept my apologies.” Yet another said, “I have just got married and so am unable to come”. ‘The servant returned and reported this to his master. Then the householder, in a rage, said to his servant, “Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame”. “Sir” said the servant “your orders have been carried out and there is still room.” Then the master said to his servant, “Go to the open roads and the hedgerows and force people to come in to make sure my house is full; because, I tell you, not one of those who were invited shall have a taste of my banquet”.’

Gospel

On hearing this, one of those gathered round the table said to him, ‘Happy the man who will be at the feast in the kingdom of God!’ But he said to him, ‘There was a man who gave a great banquet, and he invited a large number of people. When the time for the banquet came, he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, “Come along: everything is ready now”. But all alike started to make excuses. The first said, “I have bought a piece of land and must go and see it. Please accept my apologies.” Another said, “I have bought five yoke of oxen and am on my way to try them out. Please accept my apologies.” Yet another said, “I have just got married and so am unable to come”.
‘The servant returned and reported this to his master. Then the householder, in a rage, said to his servant, “Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame”. “Sir” said the servant “your orders have been carried out and there is still room.” Then the master said to his servant, “Go to the open roads and the hedgerows and force people to come in to make sure my house is full; because, I tell you, not one of those who were invited shall have a taste of my banquet”.’