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 servant 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 ex-
cused.’ [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 high-
ways 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 ban-
quet.’”
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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 forward, 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 freedom —
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 committing 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).
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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, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.
Scripture readings from the Jerusalem Bible are published and copyright © 1966, 1967 and 1968 by Darton, Longman &Todd
Readings at Mass
| 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.
Keep my soul in peace before you, O Lord.
O Lord, my heart is not proud
nor haughty my eyes.
I have not gone after things too great
nor marvels beyond me.
Keep my soul in peace before you, O Lord.
Truly I have set my soul
in silence and peace.
A weaned child on its mother’s breast,
even so is my soul.
Keep my soul in peace before you, O Lord.
O Israel, hope in the Lord
both now and forever.
Keep my soul in peace before you, O Lord.
| Gospel Acclamation |
cf.Ep1:17,18 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our mind,
so that we can see what hope his call holds for us.
Alleluia!
Alleluia, alleluia!
Come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened,
and I will give you rest, says the Lord.
Alleluia!
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.”’