Scripture Scribbles: October 15, 2023

the Gospel

Mathew 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."

the devotion

I dragged myself up the steps and into the sanctuary for adoration and as I looked down the aisle to Jesus on the altar, the words from the Liturgy of the Eucharist tumbled through my turbulent heart:

“Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to receive the supper of the Lamb.”

“Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.”

This month has been challenging. My calendar has been packed full of to-do’s and events, I have been ill, my children have been ill, friends suffer and the bloodshed in the Holy Land is breaking my heart. I have felt distant from the Lord and I have failed to live up to the call to love in so many ways. Jesus’ last words in the Gospel today land hard in my gloomy heart, “Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

Lord, I am not worthy.

But then he reminds me that this is where he meets us: in our unworthiness, in our turbulence, in this darkness.

In the streets outside the wedding feast he comes to us and invites us inside.

As I reflect on this, I am struck by the turn in Psalm 23. The Psalmist begins talking about God:

In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.

But it is here, in verse 4, that he begins talking to God

Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side

It is in the dark valley that we are often, inexplicably, brought into the depth of God’s heart, pulled into his arms and can raise our eyes to see:

You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.

Friends, he spreads the table before us. He anoints our heads with oil. Our cups overflow. Even and especially in the darkness and turbulence he is loving us and feeding us and calling us. Look up and see what he is doing today at mass in the Eucharist. We are invited into the feast. Let us say yes! Let us leave our worries, our busyness and our mistakes to his perfect will and mercy and rejoice in him. If you, like me, feel unworthy, visit him in the Sacrament of Reconciliation to be healed and made new. I will see you there. I can’t wait to rejoice at the wedding feast with you.

Today’s devotion is written by Lucia Parker DeMarco