October 12, 2014
28th Sunday Ordinary Time
The great Jewish prophet Isaiah has a dream when the Lord will host a feast of rich food and choice wine where all people will gather to enjoy God’s salvation; when every tear will be wiped away and death is destroyed. In the Gospel, Jesus tells a parable of a feast where invited guests refuse to come. (We must understand the original story of Jesus had been edited, e.g. details have been added, by the evangelist Matthew after the destruction of the city of Jerusalem by the Roman army in 70 AD.) Jesus directed the parable to priests and elders who were not receptive to his message and mission. Today, in our world, the invitation of God’s salvation to enjoy the bounty of the earth and the banquet of life is not extended to all persons. On Friday, the Norwegian Nobel committee awarded the Nobel Peace prize to Malala Yousafzai and to Kailash Satyarthi. Malala is 17, a Moslem girl from Pakistan. Kailash is 60, a Hindu man from India. She is dedicating her life to the fundamental right of girls/women to be educated. He has dedicated his life to freeing children from bondage, from labor and servitude. Both have chosen to pursue their conviction in a peaceful manner. An attempt has already been made on Malala’s life. Ban Kimoon, the United Nations secretary-general said: “With her courage and determination, Malala has shown what the terrorists fear most: a girl with a book.†Malala and Kailash show us what we must do with the Gospel of Jesus Christ – live and share the good news of God’s salvation and mercy for all people.
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27th Sunday Ordinary Time
