2026 Cycle A - 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Readings

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Isaiah 25:6-10a; Psalm 23; Philippians 4:12-14,19-20; Matthew 22:1-14 or Matthew 22:1-10

Homily Theme

The Banquet

This week there are several possible themes in the readings, all the readings speak about nourishment, but the one theme that stands out for me is contained in the theme of the Banquet. The Gospel Banquet theme is a parable about an invitation to the greatest and most important Banquet to which we will ever be invited. It is an invitation by God Himself to receive food for everlasting life. This food, was first spoken about by Jesus in John 6, when He said, “Unless you eat my Body and drink Blood you cannot have my life. The majority of those listening to Him walked away to follow Him no more, because it was a hard saying and they refused to believe it. The Apostles themselves were then given an ultimatum by Jesus, when He asked if they wanted to leave Him also. It was that important to Jesus. Is it that important to you? If so, remind those friends of yours who have walked away from the Mass and His Church.

Last week, I referred to the large numbers of Catholics that have stopped going to Mass on Sundays and are no longer feeding on the Body and Blood of Jesus. They have walked away also. They are either bored by the ritual, or have refused to accept the miracle of the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. They have been invited to the Banquet but they have turned down the invitation like those in today’s parable.

In the Gospel, the king sent out his servants to go into the highways to invite, and to force any they met to come to the banquet. He wanted his hall filled. The king finds a guest there, without a wedding garment and then he is thrust out into darkness, where they will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. What does this mean? He was forced to come off the streets without a garment. The host always supplied a wedding garment to cover his street attire and he had neglected to put it on. It was an insult to the host.

The Church obliges us to go to Mass on Sunday under the pain of mortal sin. We are commanded by God to keep holy the Lord’s Day and our attendance at Sunday Mass makes it holy. Receiving the Body and Blood of Jesus in mortal sin without wearing the wedding garment of absolution received in confession, is to come to the Banquet without a wedding garment. Those who do so, commit a serious sacrilege for which they can be cast out into everlasting darkness when the King comes to meet them at the final judgment. Jesus has provided the wedding garment for all who have sinned seriously and need to be forgiven. He did this when He breathed on the Apostles on that first Easter Sunday. He said, “Receive the Holy Spirit, whose sins you shall forgive they are forgiven, whose sins you hold bound are held bound.” John 20. Have you ever received Holy Communion when you needed to receive absolution? Then, make sure that you go to confession first and come wearing a wedding garment of absolution of any grave sin.

For those who have left the Church started by Jesus when He gave full power to Peter. Come home to that Church and stay faithful to it as you grow in love of Jesus at each Holy Communion.