Every time the Christian community gathers, it is a time to celebrate. God prepares a banquet for us. All are welcome. The greatest and the least are invited. God awaits our response.

This banquet is a symbol of hope and salvation. At this “Welcome table,” people of every race, language, and culture encounter the Lord. The hand of God that feeds the hunger of our hearts. With God as our shepherd, we have all that we need.

The parable of the wedding feast offers a great example of how God prepares a table before us in the sight of a world that may not understand God’s free love for us all. We are all invited to this feast of the Lord, and God waits for our response.

The wedding feast is symbolic of our salvation. How do we prepare ourselves for this feast? We are all invited to the banquet. Not all are ready to accept the invitation. The obligation that comes with accepting God is turning away from sin and having a change of heart.

Jesus’ message asks us to be humble in our response to God. Knowing our sins and faults, we are invited to sit at the table with the Lord. God wants to be near to us. This is the reason to celebrate. God wants us to celebrate and accept his mercy.