Food Doesn't Matter
Oct. 15: Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
While searching for an appropriate stock photo for today’s header image, I kept finding pictures like this—
Shots of food, tables, fancy place settings. What there wasn’t a lot of was people.
Yes, there are human beings in the above photo, but any identifying characteristics are framed out. None of them is an identifiable person.
Some of this is due to the nature of stock photography (don’t have to pay the model if you can’t identify them), but it also seems emblematic of weird trend of dehumanization. Focusing on things rather than people. Which is a problem, because a family meal isn’t really about the food at all, is it? It’s about the family.
Reading 1
Is 25:6-10a
On this mountain the LORD of hosts will provide for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines. On this mountain he will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, the web that is woven over all nations; he will destroy death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from every face; the reproach of his people he will remove from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken. On that day it will be said: "Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us! This is the LORD for whom we looked; let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!" For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.
God’s plan is to eliminate the differences between people, and bring them all together around one table. Like a good Father, He comforts His children. At that point, the only thing left for us to do will be to celebrate Him.
Responsorial Psalm
Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.
This is probably the most popular Psalm, for Christians. Not only does it offer great comfort, but it prefigures Jesus’ position as the Good Shephard.
Like the first reading, God offers a meal for us. But this time, it is “in sight of my foes.” The point isn’t the exclusion, though; they’d be welcome to sit at God’s table. The point is, the enemy can’t prevent this great meal. They have no power here.
Reading 2
Phil 4:12-14, 19-20
Brothers and sisters: I know how to live in humble circumstances; I know also how to live with abundance. In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need. I can do all things in him who strengthens me. Still, it was kind of you to share in my distress.
My God will fully supply whatever you need, in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father, glory forever and ever. Amen.
And here we have food yet again, but Paul’s point is that the food isn’t really important. He gets by whether he’s hungry or well-fed, with the help of the Good Shepherd. He “shall not want,” as the Psalm says.
And yet, he thanks the Philippians for their support anyway. That’s what matters to him—that they (and we) share in each other’s distress. The community spirit, in accord with Jesus, is what truly matters.
Alleluia
Cf. Eph 1:17-18
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
enlighten the eyes of our hearts,
so that we may know what is the hope
that belongs to our call.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Hope means relying on the grace of the Holy Spirit. Paul here prays that the Ephesians (and all of us) that we will see the hope that belongs to us.
Gospel
Mt 22:1-14
Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and 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 he 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. The king 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."
In a surprising reversal of the rest of today’s readings, the meal being offered is rejected by the guests. It’s unclear why an invitee would beat and even kill the servant of a wedding party, but that’s where the metaphor is most obvious—they are the Israelites who rejected God’s invitation through the prophets.1
After the king learns about the rejection by his intended guests, he opens the party invitation to everyone—meaning the gentiles.
Lest we think this means we’re better than the Jews, Jesus tells us there were good and bad guests. Specifically, there’s the man who didn’t change his clothes to come to the party.
God invites us to His table, but He also expects us to change, to transform. We can’t be the same as we were before the invitation.
Jesus does indeed call everyone, Jew and Gentile alike, but answering that call means more than simply showing up to eat. We have to join the community by conforming ourselves to God’s vision.
Jesus prophesies himself here, predicting the destruction of the Temple by the Romans many decades after His death and resurrection— “The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.”