GOD’S INVITATION

It is a common phenomenon in Nigeria that as part of our wedding plans or other great celebrations, we include ‘asoebi,’ the cloth that dignifies every invited guest to the event, put differently, ‘the wedding garment.’ We have a perception of those without the ‘asoebi’ as distant relatives or friends and probably seen as non-invited guest. On a recent trending video, there was a drama at a Nigerian Party in London, when the angry celebrant waited until the guests started eating before she ordered those without ‘asoebi’ to leave. She went on to say that if they want to get to the age of 70, they should leave immediately. The guests had no choice but to grumble and leave. Today’s liturgy reminds us of God’s invitation to a banquet, not to some sects of persons but to all, including you. What a special invite! Not just the invite, there are gifts and blessings attached to it.

The first reading from the prophecy of Isaiah is full of blessings, hope and restoration. In it, we have a promise of a beautiful banquet that awaits us, and we are moved to say ‘amen’ at every phrase of the reading. It says, “On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of fat things, a feast of choice wines well refined… He will destroy the covering veil that is cast over all peoples, he will swallow death up forever; he will wipe away tears from all faces and will take away the reproach of his people” (Is 25:6-8). The reading indicates the marriage feast of the lamb as seen in Revelation, “The marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready” (19:7-9). The Lamb is the one to destroy ‘on this mountain’ the covering that is cast over all the peoples and veil spread over the nations that keeps men from seeing God, loving God and obeying God. He will destroy death, which was introduced by Adam’s rebellion (Gen 2:16-18) and which stands to be the greatest fear of man. He will not only destroy death; he will wipe away tears from all faces. Beautiful!

Furthermore, wiping tears from all faces prefigures a great joy and happiness that awaits us on the banquet he has prepared for us as seen in the Psalm of today, “You have prepared a table before me in the sight of all my foes” (Ps 23:5). On this table, he makes for all people a feast of fat things and of choice wines well refined. The imagery of wine represents the gladness of heart for those that will respond to God’s invitation to this holy banquet, with choice wines that gladdens the heart and bread that strengthens the human hearts (Psalm 104:15). Importantly, the reading gives us the venue for this holy banquet and indicates the invited guest. The venue became clear when the prophet said, “On this mountain.” This mountain can be referred to the elevated part of the Church building, known as the sanctuary; on it, we have the altar where the table of bread and wine is prepared for us, all the invitees. Will you remain on your seat when God invites you to be part of this banquet? What is it that is depriving you, or would deprive you from being part of this holy banquet?

Christ in the gospel speaks of this invitation in a parable as heavenly banquet he compared to a King who gave a marriage feast for his sons, and sent his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast, but they would not come. The same way many of us have been invited to this holy banquet and will refuse to be part of it because of temporal pleasure we get in sin that will take us nowhere. Christ reminds us today that he has made everything ready for us and sends his invites. We do not come to God’s feast to prepare our meal; God has made everything ready. It is an invite to come and receive. In Isaiah 55:1, he said, “Come everyone who thirst, come to the water; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price…” With this special invite from God, will our responses be like the chief priests and elders, giving flimsy excuses for not coming to the banquet of the wedding feast?

Can we take a pause to ask ourselves: what is it that is depriving me of receiving Christ on the Altar? How often do I prepare myself to receive him worthily? Are we too busy with the things of the world that we cannot go “On this mountain,” the Altar of God? Are we too busy that we have no time for prayer anymore? Too busy that we have no time to reconcile ourselves with God through the sacraments of penance and so prefer to remain in our sins and abstain from the holy banquet? Are we too busy that we have no time for matters that upholds our spiritual life but give our time, talents, treasures and energy to the things of the world? It will be disastrous if the king says to us, “Those invited are not worthy,” they do not only decline the invitation, but also murdered the messengers by their action. Therefore, the judgment of God will be brought upon them like the man without the wedding garment, who honoured the invitation to the banquet of the wedding feast but never meant good for the King nor his son. Their hearts are full of evil, that there is no place for love in it. Such persons come to Church, receive the Eucharist and it makes no difference in their lives. Rather, they receive condemnation. This is what Christ meant when he said, “Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer lake.”

Dear friends in Christ, let us not be among those that will shamefully and angrily leave the Holy Banquet because of our inadequate preparation. A guest without ‘asoebi’ or wedding garment faces the consequences, suggesting that while the invitation is open, certain preparations or transformation are expected for all participation. Put differently, the Eucharist is a sacrament of love; and when we participate in it and receive it with due preparation, we can say like St. Paul in the Second reading: “I can do all things in him who strengthens me” (Phil 4:13). May the good Lord continue to strengthen us, clothe our hearts with the garments of love and fill us with peace and happiness through Christ our Lord. Amen!

Happy Sunday!

Fr. Ken Dogbo, OSJ