For Sunday, October 11, 2026, Readings: Isaiah 25:1-9, Psalm 23,
Philippians 4:1-9, Matthew
22:1-14
The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a
king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those
who had been invited...but they would not come...they made light of it and went
away...Then he said to his slaves, 'The wedding is ready but those invited were
not worthy'...those slaves...gathered all whom they found...But when the king
came in...he noticed a man...not wearing a wedding robe... [Matthew 22:1-11]
In
these times of ever-growing unsettling news in our country and across the
world, the readings for this Sunday speak of cities in ruins, banquets, and the
importance of proper attire. Isaiah’s message seems to be a nearly current report
of the state of our divisions and manipulated diversions of economic,
political, religious, and other categories of life, especially all those that
land heavily on those in great need and poverty. Yet Isaiah is reassuring the
people of his time ~ and ours ~ that as we give thanks and praise for our God, God
will make a great feast… and will wipe away the
tears from all faces… My favorite phrase in this reading comes at the end
of verse 5: the song of the ruthless was stilled. Oh that we may yet
know that peace sooner rather than later! However, we also remember that this
is not on our timetable, but God’s.
A
more personal banquet comes in Psalm 23, also verse 5: You spread a table
before me in the presence of those who trouble me…my cup is running over.
We, of course, are each a sheep of God’s pasture. This, as all psalms are
attributed by some traditions to King David, once a shepherd himself, and
surely, he or whoever authored it, thoroughly understood the nature of sheep
and shepherding. The symbolism comes through the depth of each line that refers
back to how to work with real-life sheep.* For example, sheep are inherently
nervous creatures and can be frightened into stampede more than once a day by something
as simple as a single apple dropping from a tree no matter that it happens
multiple times a day. As for anointing, the shepherd massages each sheep with
oil to keep burrowing insects from infesting and infecting their eyes, and to
comfort them. Sheep are terrified by fast flowing water and can only drink from
water that appears to be still. The psalmist asks the Lord to lead him beside still
waters and the lectionary’s timing for this could not be any better in a
turbulent world. The overall message is that we are each fed many times and in
many ways from God’s own hand; and we are marked as Christ’s own forever in
Baptism.
Matthew
recounts a parable from Jesus about a king's invitation to a wedding banquet that
the guests declined and then made light of the invitation. Even after a second
invitation was issued, the invitees refused and killed the king's own
messengers. The king destroyed them and their city as retaliation, but was
still determined to fill the banquet hall and people out on the streets were
all invited. I suspect that Jesus is using Isaiah again and his listeners would
likely have understood this parable from that perspective.
Then the perplexing part is that after
inviting ordinary people from the city to fill the hall, the king was
infuriated because one guest wasn't dressed properly. The king then had him
bound and thrown where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (one
of Matthew’s favorite phrases). Jesus then tells us that many are called but
few are chosen. What he’s telling us is that those who respond to the “call” by
God are those chosen. We cannot be chosen if we don’t answer the call. Gee,
if only “God” showed up on the phone screen so I wouldn’t miss it and maybe a
voice mail?
I realize that in trying to understand this
parable/allegory through the lens of my everyday life in this 21st
century, what comes to me hearkens back to this week’s passage in Isaiah. We
can be chastened or even frightened into submission and obedience even if that
"obedience" is from fear, or halfhearted, and/or thoroughly insincere.
But if I dress my heart and soul with the proper attire of prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving, as Paul tells us, the
peace of God that passes all understanding will guard my heart
and my mind in Christ Jesus. The more I pray and continue to work toward an honorable,
just, and pure mindset, the more of God's peace I will receive, through both
the most difficult and the most delightful days of my short temporal existence. Upon releasing
myself from avoiding self-reflection, I rediscover what I already know, there
are too many empty and non-productive distractions in my life that I allow to
divert me from the ultimate invitation. By my own lack of attention,
willfulness, or (yeah ok plain ol’) laziness, I am making light of the purpose
for which I was created; dismissing the gift of being called and chosen. How
will you answer?
Avoiding the temptations of the something
shiny syndrome is no easy task for this imperfect mortal. As I ponder these
readings of God’s great forgiveness and restoration, must I wonder what is an
appropriate wardrobe to meet the Divine? Then, of course, I realize that now is always a good time for me to respond to
the invitation by a prayer such as: Dear God, I accept! I have the directions,
and THANKS for inviting me and encouraging me. You know me so please keep
reminding me, help me yank myself back from looking away and I'll
accept again and again and yet again.
Leader: ~ O Lord of Hosts, grant us the desire to set
aside our frivolous earthly indulgence in shiny distractions to stand firm in
Your always present love. May we humbly accept Your continuing invitation to be
joined with You through our prayer and supplication with thanksgiving.
O God,
our Peace
~ O Lord of Hosts, visit
Your saving help upon us to slow the ruin of cities and lives, and that we may
successfully prevail upon political leaders to govern with restraint, justice, and for what is right for the health
and safety of all on our Planet, in our Country, and throughout every village,
town, and city in Your Creation. We pray especially for: add your own petitions
O God, our Peace
~ O Lord of Hosts, joyfully
receive our beloved into the sunshine of Your grace upon grace, in the fullness
of Christ, the very expression of Your love for us all. We pray especially for…
add your own petitions
O God, our Peace
~ O Lord of Hosts, we
pause in this moment to offer You our
other heartfelt thanksgivings, intercessions, petitions, and memorials… add your own petitions
O God, our Peace
~ O Lord of Hosts, refresh
and excite those who are called to lead us in Your Church and who inspire us to
learn, grow, and live in and through Christ, by thought, word, and action. We
pray especially for: add your own
petitions
O God, our Peace
The Celebrant adds: O God, Mighty and Good, guide us to follow all that is true,
honorable, and just, in excellence and purity, as You would have us do, to be
among Your chosen. We ask for Your continuing patience as we pledge ourselves
again to Jesus, our Redeemer Christ; and the Holy Spirit, our Constant
Companion; who together with You, live and reign as One God, now and for
eternity. Amen.
