From the Pastor: Rev. Anacleto S. Asebias, Jr.
28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
October 11, 2026
Matthew 22:1-14
Dear Ascension Family,
Blessings of peace and good health! I hope that everything is going well with all of you. We are in the month of October. Aside from the month of May, October is a special month dedicated to the veneration of the Virgin Mary as Our Lady of the Rosary. October reminds us of the beauty and power of the Holy Rosary. As we pray the Rosary, we journey with the Virgin Mary through the joyful, sorrowful, glorious, and luminous moments of the life of Christ. Moreover, the Rosary reminds us that Mary always leads us to her Son. In moments of joy, uncertainty, suffering, she teaches us to trust God’s plan and to keep our hearts open to his grace. The repetition of the prayers is not empty. Rather, it creates a peaceful space where we can listen to God and contemplate his love. May this month inspire us to make the Rosary a faithful part of our daily prayer.
As we give honor to Our Lady of the Rosary, it is worth pondering on the gospel reading today.
Formal invitations often conclude with the four letters RSVP, written in capital letters. These four letters are the first letters of the four French words, “répondez, s’il vous plaît - “please reply.” This is a request to make known to the person inviting us whether or not we accept the invitation. The purpose of requesting the response of all invited guests is to enable the inviter to organize the event realistically.
Today’s gospel reading features a parable of Jesus, involving a very formal affair, a wedding banquet in honor of the king’s son. In the Palestinian culture of the time, two invitations were sent when wedding dinners were held. The first invitation asked the guests to attend. The second was actual convocation announcing that all was ready.
A modern-day example will illustrate the point. Suppose your son is coming home after ten years away from home. He is scheduled to arrive sometime next week, but he is not sure whether he can have a flight on Thursday or Friday. You call two of his closest friends and invite them to a homecoming party. You explain the situation and ask them to keep both dates open. They agreed enthusiastically. When the news comes that your son will arrive on Friday, you call his friends back and say, “The dinner will be on Friday night.” They shock you by saying, “Sorry, we have made other plans for that night.”
In the parable, it was at the point of the second invitation, when the dinner was set, that those who said ‘yes’ to the first invitation began to make excuses. They had a farm to go, business to attend to. Others maltreated and killed the king’s servants. But the king will not be denied his banquet. Since those invited refused to come, the king sends servants to the crossroads to invite whomever they find - ‘bad and good alike’ - and the banquet hall was filled with guests.
The king is the figure of God. The wedding feast is the image of the heavenly banquet. The parable shows us Jesus’ vision of God’s banquet. It is not for the privileged few; all sorts are invited. We are all on God’s guest list, which is good news. Yet the parable suggests that this privilege of God’s invitation needs to be responded to. But often, we ignore or even refuse his invitation. Why? Because we often consider our “farm” and “business” - our personal interests and ambitions - as more important than God’s invitation.
The invitation is very respectful. God knocks at the door of our hearts and patiently waits for a response. Each knock asks, “RSVP, please reply.” The door can open only from the inside! God will not break down the door and impose his presence on us. He respects our freedom infinitely, for what would be the value of a forced entry into our hearts? Love is not love if it is not given freely. Forced love is a contradiction in terms. God is content to wait for our response. He just knocks and knocks - hoping that we will one day let him in.
God wants us all at his banquet table, but he wants to us be dressed properly - wearing a wedding garment. St. Paul in his letter to the Colossians spells out what such garment looks like. He says, “Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience...forgive each other, just as the Lord has forgiven you…Above all, clothe yourselves with love.” This is the garment we are to put on every day of our lives, in preparation for that wonderful banquet the Lord has prepared for us.
Praying for you all,
Fr. Anacleto
