Videos

Homily - October 15, 2023

Added Oct 16, 2023 •

Copy this URL:
Embed code:	<iframe class="edlio-embed-player" type="text/html" width="640" height="360" src="//www.allsaintschurch.com/apps/embed/?v=363324" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Change dimensions

Deacon Jim Marschall

Show Transcript

the image of a banquet is not uncommon when the scriptures speak of the kingdom of God that image is in full display in today's readings Isaiah's reference to Juicy rich foods and pure Choice wine can make one's mouth water Psalm 23 presents an image of Pastor O Bliss under the watchful care of the Lord following on the Isaiah passage it feels rather like an acknowledgement of praise and thanksgiving for the Lord's love and care Isaiah 25 and Psalm 23 set the table beautifully for the gospel parable of the banquet this Parable is the third of three the Jesus speaks to the chief priests and the leaders of the people he's taking aim at their failure to hear the call to repentance and to True righteousness 2 weeks do we heard the first of these two sons are asked by their father to go into the fields to work the first one says yes but then doesn't go second says no but then thinks better of it Jesus challenges those he speaking to when John came to you in the way of righteousness you did not believe him what tax collectors and prostitutes Revere repentant Sinners did believe in him yet even when you saw that you did not later change your minds and believe him last week was a parable of the rebellious Vineyard tenants at the end of that passage we hear Jesus warning the leaders of the people that God will be taken away from you and given to a people that will produce its fruit and this week we hear the parable of the king's banquet Jesus conclude many are invited but few are chosen these three messages might be summed up in a passage from chapter 7 of Mark's gospel where Jesus says not everyone who says to me Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven but only the ones who do the will of my Father in heaven you know in the Gospel of Jesus frequently uses Parables to teach and to challenge the parables are meant for those to whom he was speaking in his day and they're also meant for us apparel is divine defined as a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson to teach a greater truth or to challenge the heaters to change their if we understand the king's Wedding Banquet to be an image of Heaven and the rewards of righteousness then there must be something here to help us understand what it takes to get in the door to get a seat at the table what is it that we are invited to be and to do in this life it is God's desire that everyone respond positively to the invitation to the call to be beloved children of God and to share that identity in our place and time those who will be welcome to the heavenly banquet are those who not only say yes but who also live as you evangelize and disciples in service to God and neighbor the easy part. Understand is a simpler matter of acceptance rejection yes or no to the invitation from The Gospel reading some ignore the invitation and went away one to his farm brother to his business the rest laid hold of his servants mistreated them and killed them some who say no to the invitation choose other priorities in life not necessarily bad things just things other than that which to which they are invited by there by our King some restaurant with hostility to the Lord's invitation they reject it outright wanting nothing to do with it preferring to be their own master there is however also a more subtle no to put it another way what's the deal with the guy who gets tied up and tossed out at the party again from the Gospel reading the king said to him my friend how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment is the message that we should all dress up for church no it's much deeper than that the one without the proper Garmin is the one who accepted who has accepted Christ but it failed to follow through and living the Christian Life the Garment is love simply being in the church counted among the baptized or accepting Jesus as my Lord and Savior does not make me holey or were they or virtuous there are responsibilities and expectations that come with saying yes to God a short answer to this is the Great you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart with all your mind and with all your soul you shall love your neighbor as yourself another response how to is given to us in the Ten Commandments which flushes out to some degree how we go about loving God and loving our neighbor a few specifics for your consideration in order to draw closer to God to love God we need to commune with God and that is prayer having a prayer life a life on a daily basis we also draw closer to God and to one another When We Gather in worship oh and this point I'm preaching to the choir because here we all are When We Gather here we draw support from one another in the community and we are nourished both by the word of God and by the Eucharist it's also important that we seek ongoing conversion and obedience to God growing in love and virtue is an everyday journey and even the most saintly among us know their need for repentance and forgiveness living in right relationship with one another is also very important receipt always to be on good terms with others especially being aware of when there is Need for reconciliation and goodness we seek to live a life of service to others especially to our brothers and sisters in need and this includes working to make this a more just world for everyone and it is important that we share our faith in word and In Deed with others that is we must share our identity as beloved children of God so that others will see and wants that I don't for themselves this is the evangelizing part of being evangelizing disciples Jesus Christ. Not be our best kept secret the Journey of discipleship the journey toward the banquet can often be very challenging and difficult St Paul offers words of encouragement to the people at the Christian Community and Philippine something for us to remember especially when the path of discipleship gets rough my brothers and sisters in every circumstance all things I have learned the secret of being well-fed and I'm going hungry I'm living in abundance and it being in need I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me God will fully Supply whatever you need in a chord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus

Videos

Homily - October 15, 2023

More videos in LITURGY