Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A 2023

Peter H. Davids

Ordinary Time • Sermon • Submitted 6 months ago • Presented 6 months ago

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Our texts point to people who can and cannot see where the true "Mount Zion" is or who the true "Temple" is and therefore do not realize that in this world's "valley of the shadow of death" there is a table of plenty. People do not recognize the king or his invitation even if they have lived close to him, so they reject his servants and his Son whose marriage it is, so the strangers are invited in and even some of them do not "get it" and take the wedding garment offered at the door. Paul could see, so he had abundance within even while sometimes suffering privation without. He lived on and for the true Mount Zion. So when people ignore, work against, or mistreat you, realize that they are just blind, they cannot see. Try to open their eyes, but realize "many are called but few are chosen." Yet have no fear, for what you can see is beyond any death the world can deal out.

Notes

Transcript

Title

God Lifts the Veil and Provides

Outline

I, at least, often do not see

That is, my eyes are functioning OK, but I do not see where I put this or that, or do not see that which I do not expect to see. That can be frustrating, but it can be worse, for it can cause accidents. It can also mean that I go without, not seeing God’s provision.

That is the state of many in life, even of believers

People do not see because they do not recognize the location

It is “on this mount” that the Lord will provide a feast, that the Lord “will destroy the veil that that veils all peoples,” that the Lord “will destroy death forever.” The mountain is Zion, not nearby Moab, the Abrahamic-Davidic line that culminates not in the physical Temple that was destroyed, but in the new Temple that is Jesus that is built up in three days. That is the source of blessing, but people do not see it and do not come to it, yet if they do they see and feed and death is destroyed.

That is why physical Isreal is today a place of death, a land of Moab, a place of the blind fighting the blind. They do not see Him, so they cannot see what is everywhere where He is.

If you see you realize He is with you even in the “valley of the shadow of death.” That there there is a table of plenty.

People do not see because they do not realize who or where God and the Son are

You are in right before the wedding feast to which you have been invited and you do not realize it. You think that the important events are your events, your fields and business. So you ignore the servants, the prophets, if you do not mistreat and kill them, and you you even kill the Son. Who would do that if you could see? The military barracks are over there, if you could see. And the soldiers who have waited a long time until the king’s command came do their work. Outsiders are invited in to replace you, but then one of them does not get that this is a wedding and fails to honor the king by taking the garment that was available at the door and ends up “uninvited.” It must have been worse since it was after seeing and smelling and even tasting the food.

Sisters, Paul could see

While outwardly he could say, “I know indeed how to live in humble circumstances; I know also how to live with abundance. In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need,” inwardly he experienced, “I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me.” In other words, he lived the promise “My God will fully supply whatever you need, in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” He could see Jesus, he could see Mount Zion, there was no veil before his eyes, so he enjoyed abundance whether physical or not, for the physical is not the ultimate but the new creation, the spiritual, where there is no death.

Sisters, there are a lot of people out there working against you, ignoring you, even mistreating you. There are a lot of people out there dealing death to each other. And they think you are crazy - at best. They may be near Jerusalem, but they cannot see Mount Zion, and they may be near the third Rome, but they cannot see the true Rome above.

Our call is to open eyes and hearts, and sometimes we will be successful and often we will not, for “many are called and few are chosen.” But do not fear, for they cannot see and you will inherit what you do see, which beyond any type of death they can deal out.

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 10-15-2023: Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

FIRST READING

Isaiah 25:6–10a

6 On this mountain the LORD of hosts

will provide for all peoples

A feast of rich food and choice wines,

juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.

7 On this mountain he will destroy

the veil that veils all peoples,

The web that is woven over all nations.

8 He will destroy death forever.

The Lord GOD will wipe away

the tears from all faces;

The reproach of his people he will remove

from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken.

9 On that day it will be said:

“Indeed, this is our God; we looked to him, and he saved us!

This is the LORD to whom we looked;

let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!”

10 For the hand of the LORD will rest on this mountain,

but Moab will be trodden down

as straw is trodden down in the mire.

Catholic Daily Readings 10-15-2023: Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

RESPONSE

Psalm 23:6cd

6 Indeed, goodness and mercy will pursue me

all the days of my life;

I will dwell in the house of the LORD

for endless days.

PSALM

Psalm 23:1–6

1 A psalm of David.

The LORD is my shepherd;

there is nothing I lack.

2 In green pastures he makes me lie down;

to still waters he leads me;

3 he restores my soul.

He guides me along right paths

for the sake of his name.

4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

your rod and your staff comfort me.

5 You set a table before me

in front of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6 Indeed, goodness and mercy will pursue me

all the days of my life;

I will dwell in the house of the LORD

for endless days.

Catholic Daily Readings 10-15-2023: Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

SECOND READING

Philippians 4:12–14, 19–20

12 I know indeed how to live in humble circumstances; I know also how to live with abundance. In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need. 13 I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me. 14 Still, it was kind of you to share in my distress.

19 My God will fully supply whatever you need, in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. 20 To our God and Father, glory forever and ever. Amen.

Catholic Daily Readings 10-15-2023: Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

Ephesians 1:17–18

17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation resulting in knowledge of him. 18 May the eyes of [your] hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call, what are the riches of glory in his inheritance among the holy ones,

GOSPEL

Option A

Matthew 22:1–14

1 Jesus again in reply spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. 3 He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. 4 A second time he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast.” ’ 5 Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. 6 The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. 7 The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. 9 Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.’ 10 The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. 11 But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. 12 He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. 13 Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ 14 Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

Notes

Catholic Daily Readings 10-15-2023: Twenty-Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2023 | ORDINARY TIME

TWENTY-EIGHTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

YEAR A | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

First Reading Isaiah 25:6–10a

Response Psalm 23:6cd

Psalm Psalm 23:1–6

Second Reading Philippians 4:12–14, 19–20

Gospel Acclamation Ephesians 1:17–18

Gospel Matthew 22:1–14 or Matthew 22:1–10

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