11 October 2026 · Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
The Lord Invites Us to His Feast: Let Us Come With a Changed Heart
Isaiah 25:6-10; Philippians 4:12-14,19-20; Matthew 22:1-14
The Word of God today presents God, who prepares a feast and invites us to share in it. Through the prophet Isaiah, the Lord promises a rich banquet for all peoples, a banquet of joy, abundance and salvation. God does not desire a miserable or hopeless humanity. He wants to wipe away our tears, destroy death and draw all people into the joy of his presence.
In the Gospel, Jesus compares the Kingdom of heaven to a king who prepares a wedding feast for his son and invites many people. The invitation is generous, but some refuse to come. Others are too occupied with their own affairs. Eventually, the invitation is extended to everyone. The problem is not the generosity of the King, but the response of the invitees to his invitation.
The Gospel therefore asks us a serious question: What place does God occupy in your life? We can become so absorbed in work, business, money, family concerns, political and social tensions, entertainment or personal ambitions that we have little time for God. We may receive the invitation to Sunday Mass, prayer, reconciliation, service and Christian fellowship, but repeatedly find excuses.
Yet the Gospel also speaks about the guest who came without a wedding garment. The wedding garment reminds us that accepting God’s invitation requires a transformation of life. It is not enough to belong externally to the Church. We are called to put on Christ through faith, love, forgiveness, truth, justice and holiness. We cannot come to the Lord’s feast while deliberately refusing the garment of conversion.
The second reading gives us a practical example in Saint Paul. He has learnt “how to be poor and how to be rich,” how to live in plenty and in hunger. His secret is not material comfort but trust in Christ: “There is nothing I cannot do in the One who strengthens me.” Paul teaches us to receive both abundance and difficulty with faith. Christian maturity means that our joy does not depend entirely on circumstances, because Christ remains our strength in every circumstance.
Do not refuse God’s invitation. Let us give God first place in our daily lives. Make time for prayer, Sunday Mass, the Sacrament of Reconciliation and the reading of God’s Word. Do not allow work, business or worldly concerns to become excuses for abandoning God.
Put on the “wedding garment” of Christian living. Our Baptism must be visible in our behaviour. Let us remove hatred, revenge, dishonesty, corruption, tribalism, gossip and indifference, and clothe ourselves with forgiveness, honesty, compassion, reconciliation and love.
Learn Paul’s secret of contentment. Whether we have much or little, let us remain grateful and trust in God’s providence. In times of hardship, displacement, insecurity or economic difficulty, we must support one another rather than lose hope or abandon Christian solidarity.
Let us help to prepare the feast in our parish and communities. The Lord’s banquet becomes visible when Christians participate actively in the life of the Church. Let us strengthen our Small Christian Communities, attend parish activities, contribute generously according to our means, and reach out to the poor, widows, vulnerable children and those who feel forgotten.
Invite others to the feast. We are not merely guests; we are also messengers. Through our words, friendship and example, let us help others to discover that Christ’s Church is a home of hope, reconciliation and peace.
The invitation has been given. The feast is ready. The question is whether we shall come and whether we shall come wearing the garment of a truly converted heart. May Christ strengthen us to accept God’s invitation with gratitude, live it faithfully and share its joy with others.