God should be our priority and motivation  

Phil 2:5-11; Psalm: 21; Lk 14:15-24

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the great banquet. In this story, a man prepared a great feast and invited many guests to attend. However, one by one, the guests began to make excuses for why they could not come. Some cited business obligations, others cited personal matters. The man became angry and sent his servant to invite the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame to the feast instead.

This parable is a reflection of how often we as humans prioritize worldly matters over spiritual matters. We get caught up in the busyness of our lives and forget to make time for God. We make excuses for why we cannot attend mass or spend time in prayer, claiming that we have too much work to do or too many other obligations. But in reality, these are just distractions that keep us from experiencing the fullness of God’s love and grace.

The parable also serves as a reminder of God’s infinite mercy and grace. Even when we reject Him, God still extends His invitation to us to come and feast at His table. He does not give up on us but continues to seek us out and offer us His love. Just as the man in the parable invited the outcasts and the marginalized to his banquet, so too does God invite all people, regardless of their station in life, to partake in His kingdom.

This parable challenges us to examine our own priorities and motivations. Are we making excuses for why we cannot fully commit ourselves to God? Are we allowing worldly concerns to take precedence over our spiritual growth? The parable reminds us that we must be willing to let go of our attachments to this world and fully embrace the kingdom of God.

The parable of the great banquet in today’s Gospel is a powerful reminder of God’s love, mercy, and grace. It challenges us to reexamine our priorities and motivations, and to choose God above all else. Let us not be like the guests who made excuses, but instead let us eagerly accept God’s invitation and feast at His table, experiencing the fullness of His love and grace.