By Father Paul Nord, O.S.B.
Sunday Scripture
First Reading: Isaiah 25:6-10a; Responsorial: Psalm 23:1-6; Second Reading: Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20; Gospel: Matthew 22:1-14
“On this mountain the LORD of hosts will provide for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines.” The prophet Isaiah describes a new age of blessing given by the Lord God. Verse 9 says: “On that day it will be said: ‘Behold our God, to whom we looked to save us!’” Prophetic works often invoke “the day of the Lord” — that is, the day on which the Lord God will act to save his people.
On “the day of the Lord,” God acts to save his people from distress and suffering. They receive God’s blessing, symbolized by “a feast of rich food and choice wines.” God’s people will eat and drink to their heart’s content, confident that God “will destroy death forever.”
This text says that God will do these things “on this mountain.” This refers to Mount Zion, on which Jerusalem was built. Jerusalem had the Temple, the place of God’s presence among his people, the Israelites. From his holy throne in Jerusalem’s Temple, God will send blessing upon his people.
But God’s saving action extends to “all peoples” and “all nations.” The text says that God “will destroy the veil that veils all peoples.” This is funeral imagery; the veil worn by those who mourn the death of a loved one. The next line is also supposed to be mourning imagery: “the web that is woven over all nations.” Alas, “web” is not a word choice which evokes mourning in modern English.
God “will destroy the veil” of mourning. Indeed, God “will destroy death forever.” The original Hebrew verb means “will swallow up.” Thus God “will swallow up the veil” of mourning. God “will swallow up” death itself. That is, God will bring a complete end to mourning and death.
In his first letter to the Corinthians (15:54), St. Paul famously cites this verse of Isaiah 25 as fulfilled by Christ Jesus’ triumph over death on the cross. Paul anticipates Christ’s complete destruction of sin and death at the end of this present age. Paul cites Isaiah 25 but then expands by commenting on it: “‘Death is swallowed up in victory.’ Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting? … But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Isaiah 25 promises that “The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from every face; the reproach of his people he will remove.” This verse again describes “his people” — although the previous verse spoke of “all peoples” and “all nations.” God will remove all sorrow and shame from his people. No one “from the whole earth” will reproach God’s people, Israel.
The text closes by calling upon the people to rejoice in God’s salvation. The reason for rejoicing is: “for the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain.” This “hand” imagery emphasizes the Lord God’s protective care over his people who dwell in Jerusalem — on Mount Zion, God’s holy mountain.
Next, St. Paul writes the Philippians: “I know how to live in humble circumstances; I know also how to live with abundance.” Paul describes his complete acceptance of God’s will and providence in his life. Whether Paul is well-fed or hungry, he is content with God’s provision. Paul exclaims: “I can do all things in him who strengthens me.” Paul relies on God’s strength, not his own. With God’s strength, Paul knows “I can do all things.”
“Still, it was kind of you to share in my distress.” Paul here acknowledges the support of the Philippians during his imprisonment, which he also mentioned early in the letter (1:7). Paul says that they have “shared” (4:14) in his distress. Again, he said something similar near the letter’s beginning, describing the Philippians’ “partnership for the gospel” (1:5) which Paul proclaimed. Paul recognizes his own distress and the Philippians’ distress as participation in Christ’s crucifixion. By this participation, they proclaim Christ’s Gospel.
Paul trusts in God’s providence, even when he is hungry (4:12). Paul is likewise confident that God will provide for the Philippians: “My God will fully supply whatever you need.” Paul is closing his letter in these verses. He says a prayer: “To our God and Father, glory forever and ever. Amen” (4:20). Paul invokes God’s blessing upon the Philippians as he says “farewell” to them.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus addresses a parable to “the chief priests and elders of the people.” Jesus’ purpose is to rebuke them for rejecting him as God’s Messiah. Jesus’ parable compares “the kingdom of heaven” to a feast given by a king for his son’s wedding. The king wishes to honor his son with a sumptuous feast attended by many guests. To accomplish this, the king orders that many “calves and fattened cattle” be slaughtered to provide an abundant feast.
But many of those invited to the feast ignored the invitation. Even worse, other invitees killed the servants whom the king had sent to invite them. With this violent turn, Jesus’ parable recalls the many prophets who were killed. It also anticipates that Jesus himself will be killed at the incitement of the chief priests. Jesus’ parable warns that they will face God’s judgment for their rejection of Jesus.
The second part of the parable describes the king’s servants going out into the roads and streets to invite to the feast anyone they find. Jesus proclaimed his Gospel to tax collectors and sinners, whom the chief priests considered unworthy of God’s mercy. But Jesus proclaims salvation to them and everyone.
In Luke’s Gospel (14:15-24), Jesus tells a similar parable, but without the violent killing of the king’s servants. Also, the parable in Matthew ends with a sobering vignette not found in Luke: the king encounters a guest “not dressed in a wedding garment.” The king orders that this man be bound hand-and-foot and cast “into the darkness outside.” In Matthew, the parable concludes with a line designed to guide our interpretation: “Many are invited, but few are chosen.”