August 18th, 2024 - Twentieth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Scripture readings this weekend invite us to forget the fast food and the quick meals, and go to a spiritual banquet. In the first reading, Wisdom is a beautiful feminine image of God. She builds her house, spreads her table, and serves her guests the meat of understanding and the wine of compassion. Those who accept do not have to prepare any food, but they do have to prepare themselves. In the gospel, Jesus also spreads a banquet before us. He offers us himself, his flesh as real food for the life of the world. Christ hosts the banquet at which his guests feed on bread from heaven and live forever. But his guests have to respond to Jesus’ invitation freely and with a sincere desire to make whatever changes are needed to take their place at his table. The fact is only Christ’s food will nourish us for the work of discipleship every day.