The Eternal Feast

The passage from Isaiah that we hear read at Mass today will be one of the readings that I would like to have at my own funeral Mass. The prophet Isaiah gives us a wonderful image of eternal life. This image is of a lavish banquet. The food is rich and plentiful, and the wine is overflowing. The setting is on top of a mountain. Traditionally the tops of mountains are sacred places; the place where God is encountered. All are invited to this meal and they will experience great joy. Those on the mountain will no longer know mourning, tears or sadness. Death has been conquered. Death has been overcome and has been banished.

The Mass we celebrate each week enables us to be present at Christ’s conquering of death through his own death on the cross. It is through his death that we share the joy of new life. Our Mass is a reflection and foretaste of the joy of eternal life. The author of this passage reminds us of the joy of that final day when all peoples will be united with the Lord forever.

By our participation at Mass, we are expressing our desire to share in the eternal banquet. We are saying yes to the invitation issued by God our Father to be part of the banquet. In the Gospel this weekend, the invitation has been issued to come to the wedding of the king’s son. It is extended to all.

‘”Go to the crossroads in the town and invite everyone you can find to the wedding.” [….] and the wedding hall was filled with guests.’

There is only one condition. Those invited must be seen wearing the wedding garment. Baptism alone is not sufficient. Through God’s grace we are called to live the Christ life. St Paul expresses this well:

Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator. In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all! As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with  compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. (Colossians 3:9–12)

This can be our prayer this week: Loving Lord, to whose eternal banquet the whole world is summoned as your guest, keep us mindful of your call to holiness and clothe us in the practice of good works, so that we, the last and least of those you have invited, may not come unprepared but may be welcome at your table and rejoice in your salvation. Amen