Gospel of the day

From the Gospel according to Luke
14:15-24

One of those at table with Jesus said to him,
“Blessed is the one who will dine in the Kingdom of God.”
He replied to him,
“A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many.
When the time for the dinner came,
he dispatched his servant to say to those invited,
‘Come, everything is now ready.’
But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves.
The first said to him,
‘I have purchased a field and must go to examine it;
I ask you, consider me excused.’
And another said, ‘I have purchased five yoke of oxen
and am on my way to evaluate them;
I ask you, consider me excused.’
And another said, ‘I have just married a woman,
and therefore I cannot come.’
The servant went and reported this to his master.
Then the master of the house in a rage commanded his servant,
‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town
and bring in here the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame.’
The servant reported, ‘Sir, your orders have been carried out
and still there is room.’
The master then ordered the servant,
‘Go out to the highways and hedgerows
and make people come in that my home may be filled.
For, I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.'”

“Until They Come In”

Alive and sharper than any sword is Your Word! You speak without adornment, for in You there is no deceit — and time is short. Your Heart burns for us to know the truth: that we were created by Love and for Love, and You never cease to call us: “Compel them to come in…”

We were born for You, eternal God, and outside of You everything becomes weariness and emptiness. Yet how deaf the human heart is! It insists on living apart from You. Your call is not to burden us but to invite us to a great banquet — to fill us with grace and blessing. But we do not understand. Hearing, we do not hear, and we answer half asleep: “I can’t, I’m too busy, I’ve no time.”

Meanwhile, You, Father, prepare the table with infinite tenderness. You wait, and we, absorbed in what perishes, politely reply: “Excuse me, Lord, I cannot come.” What blindness of soul! We seek life in what is dying, not realising that by dying we live.

Your Father’s Heart is moved, and You warn us — with the clarity of One who truly sees — that the day will come, we know not when, when we shall be taken from this world:

“I tell you, none of those who were invited shall taste my banquet.”

The final banquet is “tomorrow”, but “today” is the moment to say yes. Let us leave behind excuses, noise, and distractions — vanity of vanities, all is nothing without You. Let us say to the Father:

“Yes, I want to answer Your call. Yes, I want to be loved by You. I want to be converted. I want to love.”

Then you will see how that banquet begins already in this life, transforming everything — your marriage, your family, your work, even your pain. Everything becomes a place of encounter and communion with You, Lord.

Beloved Father, wait for us — we are coming! Do not stop waiting, keep calling; I will call with You. Do not grow weary, do not be saddened — we are coming, Father, we are coming.

Brought into Married Life

That evening, Mary had prepared a very special dinner. Her husband Matthew was due home after several days away, and she wanted to surprise him and their children. She had gone to the market, chosen the best ingredients, spent more than usual — but it was worth it.

She turned off the dining room lights and lit candles, put on some music — everything prepared, cooked, and done with love. With joy she called out:

“Children, dinner’s ready! Come, your father will be here any minute!”

No answer. She called again:

“Children, come on! Dad’s almost home — it’s time to eat!”

But one replied, “I’m not hungry!” another, “I’m studying!” another, “I’m playing on the console!” and the last, “I’m on the phone!”

Mary stood there, alone and confused before the glowing table. She felt the temptation to give up — to blow out the candles and say, “I’m done insisting; let them do as they please. They don’t value anything.”

But suddenly, in her heart, she heard the words of the Gospel: “Compel them to come in…”

In that silence, she understood that the Father was sharing His own sorrow with her — the pain of preparing a banquet of love and being rejected. And from her heart rose a whisper: “I love You, Father. I want to answer Your call, and I will call with You, tirelessly, until my whole family says yes to You.”

Then she rose and went from room to room. Entering with a smile, she stroked each child’s hair, kissed them, and softly said, “There’s a surprise waiting for you in the sitting room.”

One by one, curious, the children came down. When they saw the table glowing with candlelight, the warmth of the fire, the smell of bread, their mother’s smile — something stirred within them. They sat down, waiting for their father, moved by what they had nearly rejected.

Mary looked at them with immense tenderness, and in the silence of her heart she prayed:

“Thank You, Father, for never getting tired of calling me.”

Mother,

You went “in haste” up the mountain — may we never delay our yes to God’s call.

Help us, Mother!