Sunday, October 11, 2020 - 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 22, 1-14 - May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ open the eyes of our hearts to his light, so that we may perceive the hope that his call gives.

The theme of this Sunday is: "Christ invites us to his banquet". The first reading as well as this Sunday's Gospel focus on this banquet of the Lord. In everyday life, when it comes to invitations, this means a feast, a rejoicing with food and drink in abundance. This is common at weddings or birthday parties, at exhumations or any other celebration, which one experiences with joy and gladness. Let God's concern be no less than this, because God Himself prepares the banquet, He is the host and invites us to His table. Let us remember the prayer pronounced by the priest in offering the Holy Sacrifice before receiving communion: "Blessed are the guests at the Lord's meal. God's purpose in creating the Eucharist is that we may have happiness and be in communion with Him.

However, even though we are all invited to the Lord's meal, there are certain conditions set by the Church and required by God for those who wish to take part, not only out of habit, but also to be worthy and glorify the host.

• First, there is our self-giving, for Christ himself gave himself as food, and we must approach him with a willing heart. It is mutual love that pleases God.
• The second, on the other hand, is our availability, so let us not continually find excuses not to go to church. Let us remember that every minute, every hour we have comes from God, because He is the Master of time. Let our will not supplant God's will, but let us submit to His will. Let us give priority to our encounter with God, especially on Sundays, because responding positively to His call is a way of honoring Him. God invites us to his table because he loves us, we are in his eyes, his children, his close relatives, so we cannot be represented before him in all things.
• And the last condition, always according to the Gospel, is the dignity of heart and soul, which we express outwardly by decent behavior and dress. No man or woman ever forsakes this aspect when going to a feast. So let us not neglect our preparation for meeting God.

If you want to have happiness, receive Jesus in your heart, He takes away your sins, He gives you good, so that your soul will be satiated, like a child soothed in his mother's arms. Jesus! You are my inheritance. Amen.