First Reading • Isaiah 25:6-10a
Psalm • Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6
Second Reading • Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20
Gospel • Matthew 22:1-14
There is a lie that is planted in us from the time we are children: having more stuff will make us happier.
Everywhere we look – on social media, television, and advertising – we are encouraged to want more. A bigger house, a newer car, the latest phone, more clothes, more gadgets. The message is simple: If you have more, you will be happier.
But experience tells us otherwise.
In the 1960s the average family size was 3.33 people living in a 1,200 square feet house.
Today, the average family size has dropped to 2.5 people but the average house size has ballooned to 2,400 square feet. Why do we need bigger houses for fewer people? Because we need room to put all our junk!
We have bigger houses and more possessions than previous generations, yet many people are under enormous financial and emotional pressure.
We have more things, but not necessarily more peace. We have more conveniences, but not necessarily stronger families. We have more ways to entertain ourselves, but not necessarily more joy.
And yet this lie continues to have power over us.
Perhaps there is a reason. God really did create us for abundance. Deep within us is a desire for something more. The mistake we make is thinking that this hunger can be satisfied simply by acquiring more material things.
The abundance God desires for us is much deeper. It is spiritual abundance; the fullness of life that comes from knowing God, loving others, and living in communion with him.
That is the beautiful image Isaiah gives us in today’s first reading.
The prophet describes God’s Kingdom as a great banquet: “a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines.” God is preparing something abundant for his people.
But notice that the promise goes much further than food and drink. Isaiah tells us that God will destroy death forever and wipe away the tears from every face.
That is true abundance.
God does not simply want to fill our stomachs or our houses. He wants to fill our hearts. He wants to free us from sin, heal our wounds, wipe away our tears, overcome death, and bring us into communion with himself.
And we do not have to wait until heaven to begin experiencing this abundance. God has already placed many of these treasures within our reach.
One place we discover them is in the Catholic Church.
One of the sad realities today is that many people are baptized and raised Catholic without ever discovering the treasures of their faith. Some walk away from the Church without really knowing what they are leaving behind.
Consider just two of those treasures.
The first is the Word of God.
In the Scriptures, God speaks to us. The Bible is not simply an ancient book filled with interesting stories.
Through its pages, we discover who God is, who we are, why we were created, and where our lives are going.
When we are confused, Scripture gives us wisdom. When we are discouraged, it gives us hope.
When we have sinned, it calls us back. When we are grieving, it consoles us. When we are searching for direction, it gives light to our path.
Another great treasure is the Sacraments.
The Sacraments are not simply religious ceremonies. They are encounters with the living Christ.
In Baptism, we become children of God. In Confession, Christ forgives us and gives us a new beginning.
In the Anointing of the Sick, he strengthens us in sickness and suffering.
And in the Eucharist, Jesus gives us the greatest treasure of all; himself, his Body and Blood.
At every Mass, Christ offers us something money could never buy: his very life.
This is the banquet Jesus speaks about in today’s Gospel. God invites us to his feast.
The tragedy is that some people are too busy with other things to accept the invitation.
That can happen to us as well. We can become so busy building our earthly lives that we fail to enjoy the spiritual riches God has already placed before us.
Saint Paul understood this. He tells the Philippians that he knows what it is to have little and what it is to have plenty. His peace does not depend on possessions because his strength comes from Christ:
“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
That is the freedom God desires for us.
There is nothing wrong with having a comfortable home, a good car, or enjoying the blessings God has given us.
The problem begins when we expect material things to satisfy a hunger that only God can fill.
So perhaps the question for us this Sunday is not, “How much do I have?” but “Do I recognize what I have already been given?”
The Word of God. The Sacraments. The Eucharist. Forgiveness. A community of faith. And, above all, Jesus Christ himself.
The world tells us, “You need more.”
God tells us, “Come to the feast. Everything is ready.”
May we have the wisdom to accept his invitation and discover in Christ the abundance our hearts have been searching for.
