Fr. Emmanuel Megwara, MSP - Homily for the Twenty-Eight Sunday in Ordinary time Year A - October 11, 2020

DATE :11/10/2020 EVENT : 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time (A) COLOUR: GREEN READINGS : Isaiah 25:6-10; Responsorial Psalm 22:1-6; Phil. 4:12-14. 19-20; Gospel Accl. John 1:14,12; Matthew 22:1-14. THEME: BE CAREFUL LEST YOU MISS THE BANQUET IN HEAVEN INTRODUCTION : Greetings beloved people of God and fellow pilgrims. I welcome you to the 28th Sunday in the Ordinary time of the Church. (An Ordinary time is the season when the Church has no particular celebration). On this Sunday, beloved friends, I wish to reflect with us on the theme, " Be Careful Lest you Miss the Banquet in Heaven ". A banquet is a large celebratory meal where people are invited to rejoice, eat, drink, chatter, merry and celebrate with the guest. Usually, a banquet is open to all with too much of food to go round until everyone is full. As social beings, we ordinarily crave for banquet and party as a means of socialization. Both the rich and poor go to banquets. The first reading of today taken from the book of the prophet Isaiah, talks about the banquet of rich things which God has prepared for all of us. This banquet of the Lord is the glory, the blessings of the new covenant, pardon for sin, the favour of God, peace of conscience, access to the throne of grace, the comfort of the spirit and hope of eternal life, which awaits us in heaven. It a dual banquet in which we experience heaven on earth as we await the heaven in heaven afterwards. However, beloved, like the parable of the wedding banquet of today's Gospel, Christ the lamb of our banquet has been sacrificed like the fattened cattle was slaughtered. The apostles, priests and ministers of the Gospel have been sent out to call those invited to the banquet just like the messengers of the wedding banquet were sent to call those invited. And unfortunately, many of us have turned down the offer just like the invited guests did. Yet, just like the master of the banquet did, God has not given up on his banquet, He is still sending out priests and ministers to invite people of all nations to His heavenly banquets because the banquet hall of heaven has to be filled up. The question now is: Will you respond to the invitation and come with the required garment? Beloved, my emphasis today's homily is on the guest who managed to enter the banquet hall without a wedding garment and was thrust out. I am afraid this is the category many of us fall into. The man was thrown out because he, being aware of the Jewish custom, refused to put on a wedding gown. Like many of us Christians, we know the law of God and of the Church, but we choose not to keep it, yet we want to enjoy the meal of the banquet. It is not possible. Listen, although God needs people to fill up His heavenly banquet, He does not need anyhow kind of people, he does not need people without the garment of charity, of love, of sincerity, of moral uprightness, of marital fidelity, of modesty, of truthfulness, of commitment and of holiness. If you lack this garments, though the priest may let you into the Church like the servants did, but God the master, who sees our innermost garment will point to you and ask the angels to thrust you out of heaven. May this not be our portion. I pray God to give us the grace of repentance so that we may put on the appropriate wedding garment so as to be able to enjoy the banquet feast of the lamb in heaven. God bless you. OH that today you would listen to his voice harden not your heart (Ps.95:7-8). LET US PRAY: Lord Jesus, help me with your grace to always put on my banquet garment of holiness especially at the hour of my death.....Amen HAPPY SUNDAY TO YOU.....(Barka da Lahadi) @Fada Emmanuel Nnamdi Megwara MSP.⛪