Daily Catholic Lectio
Sun, 11 October 2026
XXVIII Sunday in Ordinary Time
Isa 25:6-10. Phil 4:12-14, 19-20. Mt 22:1-14
Banquet: Call and Response
Hunger is an experience common to plants, animals, and human beings. Food satisfies hunger. Plants, animals, and humans all need nourishment. But for human beings, food means more than simply satisfying the hunger of the stomach. Food is also a sign of relationship. When food is shared as an expression of relationship, we call it a banquet.
Today’s Liturgy of the Word centres on the invitation to a banquet and the response to that invitation. We invite others to meals, and we respond when others invite us.
In today’s first reading (Isa 25:6-10), the prophet Isaiah speaks about the banquet that the Lord God will prepare for the people of Israel at the time of fulfilment. This time of fulfilment may also be understood as the return of Israel from the Babylonian exile.
God is called “the Lord of hosts.” On Mount Zion, the Lord of hosts prepares a banquet.
The prophet gives three characteristics of this banquet.
First, the invitation is universal. God does not invite Israel alone. He invites all peoples. Second, the banquet is rich and delicious. There are rich foods, fine drinks, well-prepared meat, and choice wine. Third, the banquet is abundant. There is more than enough for everyone who comes.
Through this banquet, God removes four negative realities: suffering, death, tears, and disgrace. Seeing all this, the people will say: “This is our God. We have waited for Him. Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.” Through this banquet, the Lord renews His relationship with Israel. Israel once again discovers its Saviour.
In today’s Gospel, we hear the parable of the wedding banquet. A similar parable is also found in Luke. Matthew tells us that Jesus addresses this parable to the chief priests and the elders of the people.
A king arranges a wedding for his son. In Jewish society, a wedding was a very important event. It could last from seven days to even thirty days. Here, it is the wedding of a prince. The invitation is given in two stages. First, specific persons and groups are invited. Later, the invitation is extended to everyone. Those invited first make excuses and reject the invitation. Those invited later come to the banquet, but one person is rejected because he is not wearing a wedding garment.
The parable ends with the words: “Many are called, but few are chosen.” Those invited first respond in four negative ways. First, they are unwilling to come (Mt 22:3). Second, they ignore the invitation (22:5). Third, they have other priorities. One goes to his field and another to his business (22:5). Fourth, they mistreat and kill the servants (22:6). All four responses are negative.
The second group responds positively and comes to the banquet. Yet one among them arrives without a wedding garment.
The wedding garment was understood as something associated with readiness for the banquet. Refusing to wear it becomes another form of negative response.
In the allegorical meaning of the parable, the king represents the heavenly Father, the son represents Jesus Christ, the wedding banquet represents the Kingdom of God, the servants represent the prophets, those invited first represent the Jews, and those invited later represent the Gentiles.
The Gentiles, though invited into the banquet, must still make themselves ready to remain in it.
This parable reminds us of Jesus’ parable of the net. The Kingdom of heaven is like a net that gathers all kinds of fish. But only the good fish are placed into containers. The others are thrown away.
Being caught in the net alone is not enough. There must also be readiness and worthiness.
In the first reading, the invitation to the banquet receives a positive response. In the Gospel, the invitation is rejected.
Why is the invitation rejected? Because the people fail to recognise the greatness and authority of the king. They see it merely as a banquet. They do not see it as an opportunity to enter into relationship with the king. Instead of choosing the greater banquet, they choose their smaller priorities.
What lessons do these two banquet invitations give us?
First, life itself is a wedding banquet. God invites all of us to this banquet. He Himself serves us. Unless He feeds us, we cannot truly be satisfied. Yet many times, we carry our empty cups and go in search of other empty cups. We must learn that one empty cup cannot fill another empty cup.
Second, the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, are a wedding banquet. We are all invited to this banquet. But the person without the wedding garment is sent out. The wedding garment represents our readiness. Desire alone is not enough. Readiness is also necessary.
Third, the purpose of the wedding banquet is relationship with God. The people of Israel run towards the Lord of hosts saying, “We have waited for Him.” Our relationship with God reaches fulfilment through the food we share with Him.
Two persons teach us how to participate in this banquet.
The first is King David. In today’s Responsorial Psalm (cf. Ps 23), David sings: “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.” He continues: “You prepare a table before me in the sight of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil. My cup overflows.” David knows that his fulfilment comes from the banquet prepared by God.
The second is Saint Paul. In today’s second reading (cf. Phil 4:12-14, 19-20), Paul comes to the conclusion of his Letter to the Philippians by remembering the many different experiences of his ministry. One day there was plenty of food, another day hunger. One day he slept comfortably, another day on the ground. One day there was warmth, another day cold. One day there was security, another day danger. One day laughter, another day tears.
Paul is in prison when he writes these words. He does not know whether he will be released or whether he will lose his life.
He experiences the loneliness of prison, the weakness of age, illness, the pain of his wounds, the cold of the floor, and perhaps even the sorrow of knowing that much work still remains unfinished.
Yet he says with confidence: “I know how to live in poverty, and I know how to live in abundance. In every circumstance I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of having plenty and of being in need.”
Who gave Paul this training? Who gave him the strength to live like this? Paul himself answers: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” Paul gives God a beautiful title: the One who strengthens me. He also appreciates the Church of Philippi for standing with him in his need and assures them: “My God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to His riches.” Paul hopes that the fullness he himself has received will also become the experience of his people.
Food and banquet are important themes throughout the Bible. The sin of our first parents begins with eating the forbidden fruit.
In the Gospels, Jesus participates in many meals and tells many parables about banquets. In the parable of the lost son (cf. Lk 15), the father prepares a banquet when the younger son returns. But the elder son remains outside. He does not want to join the celebration. The invitation of the father reaches his ears, but he remains outside. When an invitation to the banquet does not receive a positive response, the relationship itself is broken. God continues to invite. The question is: how do we respond?
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
A Yesni Prays Initiative
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