October 11, 2020
by Mary Sellars Malloy
Question of the Week - 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A
Isn't it nice to be invited to a celebration—whether dinner with close friends, graduation, a wedding, or an anniversary? In this roller coaster of a year, I daresay that most of us probably have not received many invitations to informal gatherings or more formal events. I know I have missed the opportunities to decorate our home and prepare special holiday meals for family and friends. My party clothes are in the closet, but—in the words of a local newscaster—"There's just no place to go!"
How ironic that in today's Gospel (Matthew 22:1-14), the king offers a place to go, a party to attend, a feast to enjoy, and yet no one takes him up on the invitation. Some refuse to go, some ignore the invitation and go about other tasks, and others mistreat the servants who extend the invitation in the first place. In the end, the king's servants gather anyone they can find "good and bad," the Gospel tells us.
The truth is, from March to today, God has faithfully extended the invitation:
- the invitation to offer our anxieties and worries to him in prayer
- the invitation to feast daily on his Word
- the invitation to reorient the way we spend the gift of time and whom we spend it with
- the invitation to take delight in blessing and serving others
Even amid a pandemic, good works continue, and they are inspired and enlightened by faith.
This week, begin each day by asking God, "What are you inviting me to say and do today? Who are you inviting me to serve?" Then, dare to answer the invitation, and be a blessing to the world!
Mary Sellars Malloy has over forty years' experience as a Catholic educator and lay minister. She is a frequent workshop presenter on prayer, liturgy, spirituality, the Sacraments, and the RCIA. Also, Mary leads retreats and parish missions throughout the country. Her goal is to encourage Catholics of all ages to appreciate and to live their Catholic faith.