I know how to live in humble circumstances;
I know also how to live with abundance.
Paul was certainly called to a life filled with humble circumstances and not much abundance. Yet he was still convinced that God could fully supply for whatever his readers would need, "in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Many of us defend ourselves from potential disappointment by simply lowering our expectations. We become so accustomed to the way things are that we dare not hope they improve. But not Paul. Paul was willing to endure any deprivations he encountered but was also ready for abundance, provided it was from the Lord.
Paul had already seen through "the veil that veils all peoples, the web that is woven over all nations". He knew that death itself had been defeated (see Galatians 1:1). Being in want did not make him fear for his survival. Being in abundance did not make him fear that he would lose what he had.
We ourselves have been invited the an abundant feast. We have been invited by the Father to the wedding banquet of his Son, the lamb of God. Why do we ignore this invitation, going away to our farms and businesses? Isn't it because we are still try to manage our gains and losses ourselves, keeping them well within our control? Isn't it because the veil that veils all peoples is still preventing us from seeing clearly the hope that we are meant to find in this wedding feast?
‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet,
my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’
If we refuse to allow the Lord to have control over our natural desires, if we refuse to learn from him the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, we will be like ships tossed by the constant storm of circumstances. But if we let the Lord reign over our hearts and over our desires the circumstances may not change, but the veil that keeps us from seeing the shore will be removed. We will no longer sail aimlessly, hopelessly, fighting storms with no destination in site. Instead, struggles will have meaning as we draw on to our goal.
The Lord GOD will wipe away
the tears from every face;
the reproach of his people he will remove
from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken.
In the mass there is a real sense in which we come already to that distant shore. It is the one thing on earth that is a real participation in the life to come.
and the hall was filled with guests.
In the mass we can ask the Lord to reorder our loves so that the feast comes first. Jesus did come to give us life in abundance (see John 10:10). Even if we think we are open to abundance we may still not be as open as we need to be. We may still have a sense of undeserving holding us back from receiving the blessings that the Lord has for us. We can see symptoms of this when we can't receive worldly gifts well. But does it also prevent us from receiving all that Jesus has for us in his gift of himself to us?
The king said to him, 'My friend, how is it
that you came in here without a wedding garment?'
We do not provide the wedding garments that we need by our efforts. The idea that we would proves that we have not yet learned the secret of resting in the abundance that Lord has for us. Of course those who believe they must provide it on there own are more interested in returning to farm and business. But it should not be so with us. We can learn to see through the illusions that dealing with the things of this world tend to create in us. We do not handle being in want primarily struggling to obtain. Rather, in want we let Jesus wipe away our tears. We do not fear to lose our abundance, because we know what true abundance is. Our treasure is in heaven where it cannot be taken away. Our ultimately claim to abundance is ours when we put on Christ Jesus (see Galatians 3:27). We are clothed with Christ (see Romans 13:14) by faith and baptism, and it is by this free gift that we enter the feast.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
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