The Valley Catholic October 7, 2014 | Page 14

Spirituality

October 7, 2014

14

T
he Valley Catholic

October 12, Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
First Reading
Responsorial Psalm
Second Reading
Gospel Reading

Isaiah 25:6-10a
23:1-6
Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20
Matthew 22:1-14 or Matthew 22:1-10

“Everything is ready; come to the feast.”

-- Matthew 22:4
By Jean Denton, Catholic News Service

As

I walked down the road on a July morning, I stopped to talk to a neighbor who
happened to be picking wild blackberries along the
fence. I don’t even know this woman’s name, but
we’ve met on the road and exchanged greetings for
years. Although she’s stooped with age, her quick,
kind smile and soft voice indicate a gentle soul.
“It looks like you’ve found some ripe ones,” I
called out.
She showed me a handful of plump berries she
held in a small plastic container. “These are for Tom -he likes them with his breakfast. Do you know Tom?”
Yes, I do. Tom is another older neighbor. He’s suffering from a terminal pulmonary disease.
My friend stood there smiling down on her little
banquet of berries and thinking of Tom.
She wore clean cotton slacks and a pressed, skyblue blouse under a striped apron. Everything in her
countenance told me she was properly “dressed” for
a generous feast offered by the Lord as described in
this weekend’s Scriptures.
In the Gospel, Jesus uses a parable of a wedding
feast to speak to us about being not only willing but
also ready to receive the bountiful goodness God
has for us.

Jesus tells how a king invites people to a rich banquet, yet the invitation is ignored or rejected.
When he extends the guest list, one attendee at the
sumptuous table isn’t appropriately dressed for such
a grand offering. In other words, he is unprepared to
appreciate it or use it to truly celebrate and share in
its goodness. This was not at all what the king had
in mind for his feast. He tosses him out.
The reading from Isaiah explains that the Lord
provides “for all peoples” a rich feast that promises
to destroy death forever. That is, the Gospel points
out, for those who are prepared to accept it properly
-- to celebrate and share in God’s life.
My neighbor, seeing God’s little feast on the side
of the road, accepted the invitation, attired herself in
love and concern for her friend Tom, picked the ripe
berries and joyously shared their goodness.

QUESTIONS
• How would you describe the fare at the banquet God has provided for you?
• How can you prepare yourself to worthily celebrate and share these blessings?
©2014, Diocese of Fort Worth

Luke
First Century • feast Oct. 18
Early historians said this author
of the third Gospel and the Acts of
the Apostles was born to a pagan
family in Antioch (Turkey) and
converted to Christianity. According to Paul’s letters and Acts, he
was a doctor and Paul’s companion
during his later journeys and imprisonment in Rome. Luke’s New
Testament writings in Greek were
for gentiles, extending to them
the salvation promised to Israel.
He i