Change Is A Must

𝐍𝐎𝐕. 𝟒, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓: 𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐓. 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐁𝐎𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐎, 𝐁𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐩

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈: 𝐑𝐨𝐦 𝟏𝟐:𝟓-𝟏𝟔

𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐦: 𝐏𝐬𝐚 𝟏𝟑𝟏:𝟏-𝟑 “𝐈𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐋𝐨𝐫𝐝, 𝐈 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐞.”

𝐆𝐎𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐋: 𝐋𝐤 𝟏𝟒:𝟏𝟓-𝟐𝟒

𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞: “𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐚 𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐦𝐲 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐭.” (𝐯.𝟐𝟒) 

         This is definitely a beautiful parable because even if it shows what awaits those who ignore the Lord’s invitation (𝐯.𝟐𝟒), it also provides us a window of opportunity to allow us to amend our ways and prepare just in case we receive our invitation to come to the great banquet (𝐯.𝟏𝟔).

         To fully understand this Gospel passage today, we need to at least take a look back at how a banquet was prepared during the time of Jesus to be able to understand why the Master was enraged when his invitation was ignored by those he invited.

         There was a reason for his anger because the tradition in those days call for invitations to be sent ahead of the date of the banquet. This was intended to give those invited enough time to also prepare what they needed to wear and usually they wear garments made of the finest linen that is seamless.

         The host of the banquet who, in this case was described as a Master which could only mean that he was wealthy, had prepared the animals to be slaughtered for the banquet and when the time of the feast comes, the Master sent his servants to remind those invited to come to the banquet (𝐯.𝟏𝟕). Actually, there were even times in the when a barker walks ahead of the servants to announce that the banquet was ready if it was a wedding feast. 

         All told there were three invitations and two types of judgments in this parable. There was the invitation to one who simply made excuses and ignored the Master’s invitation (𝐯.𝟏𝟖). Another said he had to take care of an oxen that he bought and so could not go (𝐯.𝟏𝟗). Still, a third one said he just got married and also could not go (𝐯.𝟐𝟎). Different situations, different excuses. And so the owner of the house though angry decided to invited everyone – the poor, cripple, blind and the lame (𝐯.𝟐𝟏).

         The beauty of this parable is that we can start looking into our own selves and equate ourselves with the three persons who ignored the invitation to the banquet and see what areas of our lives we may have fallen short of what Our God expects of us. This parable gives us the chance to check the kind of excuses we made just so we can skip attending the Celebration of the Holy Eucharist especially on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation.

         In today’s parable we see that everyone was invited. Not just some people. Not just supposedly holy people or those appearing to be holy. But even we who are sinners are invited! Everyone and absolutely no one is left out. What this Gospel passage teaches us is that when we reject God’s invitation to participate in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist especially on Sundays and Holy Days of obligation, we are actually rejecting God. 

         On the other hand, to assume that we, sinners as we are, will all be invited is a very risky proposition because there is the possibility we may not get invited. If that is the case, why should we put our salvation on the line when there is an opportunity that is available to all of us to change the circumstances of our lives. 

         While change doesn’t happen quickly, we should not forget that God can change even the worst in us because he desires that the people he created and who have been stained by sin be changed on the inside and this process begins when we encounter Jesus Christ and accept him as our Savior and Redeemer.

         And this parable should be reflected on particularly by those who are quite active in the Church and or a spiritual community for that matter because salvation is not measured by what we do or don’t do but salvation rests entirely on our response to God’s invitation for us to go and make disciples of all nations.

         We have heard that many times but we qualify it. We interpret the Gospel into our own words and actions. Instead of proclaiming the Gospel of Christ to the world especially the unchurched and build the house of the Lord in the hearts of men, we went out and build physical structures claiming we are doing it for the poor.

         We rationalize and supplant what God’s Word is saying by expanding it to accommodate our own desires. But the Word and his instructions are clear as day but we simply shoot it down and disregard what the Gospel is telling us and would rather listen to our own gospel.

         This parable should remind all of us that we are the poor, the cripple, the blind and the lame mentioned here (𝐯.𝟐𝟏). We are those who are now being invited after those whom God originally invited rejected Him.

         Let us not look at ourselves as second-fiddle but we must feel honored that despite the poverty of our spirits, our handicap that we use as an excuse not to attend the Mass and or Prayer Meetings, our blindness and not seeing the hand of God in our everyday life, God has kept open the gates of heaven for us as Christ Himself takes our poverty, our infirmities as he enlightens us and heals every area of our lives that prevent us from accepting his invitation but we must also open our hearts to repentance and change.

         What is also important is that we must all come to an awareness that when this plan was revealed to us by God, it should serve as the invitation for us to the feast that will come at a later date just as what the parable says. What this parable is telling us is that when the date of the feast comes – when we stand face to face with God – we must give back to Our God our souls with the same purity that our souls had when he first brought us into the world.

        And we can all begin by preparing our hearts and minds as we come to the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, Corporate Worship or Prayer Meetings, Word Sharing Circles and or, Teachings by settling down and dissociating ourselves from the cares and concerns of daily living because it is when we worship the Lord not just with our lips but with our hearts that the Lord moves and turns the encounter into a joyful celebration. (𝘌𝘥 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘺 - 𝘕𝘰𝘷. 4, 2025)