Gospel: August 21, 2025
August 21, 2025 (Thursday) 20th Week in Ordinary Time
Psalter: Week 4 / (White)
St. Pius X, pope
Ps 40:5, 7-8a, 8b-9, 10
Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.
1st Reading: Judges 11:29-39a*
Gospel: Matthew 22:1-14
Jesus continued speaking to them in parables: “This story throws light on the kingdom of heaven: A king gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to call the invited guests to the banquet, but the guests refused to come.
Again, he sent other servants, instructing them to say to the invited guests, ‘I have prepared a banquet, slaughtered my fattened calves and other animals, and now, everything is ready. Come to the wedding!’ But they paid no attention and went away, some to their farms, and some to their work.
Others seized the servants of the king, insulted them and killed them. The king was furious. He sent his troops to destroy those murderers and burn their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is prepared, but the invited guests were not worthy. Go instead to the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding feast.’ The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, good and bad alike, so that the hall was filled with guests.
The king came in to see the wedding guests, and he noticed a man not wearing a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in without the wedding clothes?’ But the man remained silent. So the king said to his servants, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”
Reflection:
“Come to the wedding feast!”
The wedding banquet is prepared—come to the wedding! Today’s parable presents us with God’s invitation to participate in his life and glory not only in heaven, but also here and now, for the Kingdom of heaven is among us (Lk 17:21). We participate in God’s life through the way we live our lives, rooting them in prayer and praise of God, so that all our actions are dedicated to him.
At the core of our Christian lives is the celebration of the Eucharist, the foretaste of the wedding feast of heaven par excellence. And so, God himself invites us to a nuptial union with him, to taste and see that the Lord is good (Ps 34:8).
In keeping with this invitation to participate in the heavenly banquet, Pope Saint Pius X reduced the age for First Holy Communion and encouraged frequent Communion. Come to the wedding feast! The invitation is there, but Jesus’ parable reminds us that our desire for God can be weak or distracted with other things. Let’s not lose interest in the Lord, but long to take our seat at the wedding feast both now and in eternity.
