Enough???

Homily for the Twenty-eigth Sunday in Ordinary Time

One of the most common feelings in our world today is that of not having enough.

We do not have enough time. We do not have enough energy. We do not have enough money. We do not have enough certainty about the future. Even those who seem to have plenty often feel they need more. Into that human restlessness, St. Paul makes a remarkable statement: "I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, of living in abundance and of being in need. I can do all things in him who strengthens me."

Paul has learned the secret to living without the common feeling of needing more. Notice that Paul does not say he has escaped hardship, nor does he say he always gets what he wants. He has learned that self-reliance is not the key to life. The secret is Christ. Paul has discovered that his life is not measured by what he possesses but by to whom he belongs. Whether he is hungry or full, rich or poor, welcomed or imprisoned, Christ is enough.

That insight helps us understand the other readings. In Isaiah, God prepares a magnificent feast for all peoples. It is a vision of abundance. Whenever I encounter this particular passage, I cannot help but think of one of the opening scenes in the movie “Oliver.” While the orphan boys are being fed a bowl of thin gruel, the trustees of the workhouse are gathered at the dining room table which is groaning with the load of food that is upon it. The boys begin singing, “Food, Glorious Food.”

Food, glorious food!
Hot sausage and mustard!
While we're in the mood --
Cold jelly and custard!
Pease pudding and saveloys!
What next is the question?
Rich gentlemen have it, boys --
In-di-gestion!

The people of the first century lived on a subsistence diet. Any meat would be salted and dried in the sun. So Isaiah’s mention of rich, juicy food and choice wines would not have been their usual fare. Far more importantly, however, is that the Lord removes sorrow, wipes away tears, and destroys death itself. The banquet is God's promise that our deepest hunger will one day be satisfied.

Psalm 23 echoes that promise. The shepherd leads, protects, and provides. Even in the darkest valley, there is no need to fear because God is present. The psalm does not promise an easy life. It promises a faithful Shepherd.

Then we come to the Gospel where Jesus describes the kingdom as a wedding banquet. Once again, God's desire is generosity. The king wants the banquet hall filled. The invitation goes out widely. People are called from highways and byways. Everyone is welcome, yet many refuse. That may be the most surprising part of the parable. The problem is not that God fails to invite. The problem is that people are too occupied with other concerns to respond. Business, possessions, our plans are all distractions that pull us away from living in Christ.

In a sense, they have not learned Paul's secret. They are looking for fulfillment somewhere other than God. The wedding garment at the end of the story reminds us that accepting God's invitation is more than showing up. The invitation is free, but it should change us. To enter the banquet of the Kingdom is to put on a new way of life, a life marked by faith, gratitude, mercy, and discipleship.

Perhaps that is where these readings challenge us today. The world constantly tells us that we are lacking something. It encourages us to chase the next possession, achievement, or experience. Yet the more we chase, the hungrier we often become. Paul points us toward another way. The Christian does not deny suffering. The Christian does not pretend that life is easy. The Christian learns, slowly and sometimes painfully, that Christ is sufficient.

When Christ is at the center, abundance and scarcity no longer define us. Success and failure no longer determine our worth. We discover that what truly satisfies is not what is on our table but who sits with us at the table.

Every Eucharist is a foretaste of Isaiah's banquet, the wedding feast of the Gospel, and the green pastures of Psalm 23. Here the Lord gathers us. Here he feeds us. Here he strengthens us. And here we learn Paul's secret anew: "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Those who know Christ may not have everything they want, but they discover that in Christ they already have everything they truly need.