Clothed
in the Righteousness of Christ,
We Partake of His Wedding Feast
By His Cross and Resurrection, the
Lord has swallowed up death forever, and by His Gospel He “will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of His people He
will take away from all the earth” (Is. 25:8). Therefore, “let us be glad and rejoice in His
salvation” (Is. 25:9). On the Mountain of the Lord of hosts—in His Church
on earth, as in the kingdom of heaven—He has made “for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine”
(Is. 25:6). It is the royal “wedding
feast” of the Son of God, “and
everything is ready” (Matt. 22:1, 4). Thus, His servants are sent into the
highways and bi-ways to invite and gather as many as they find, “both good and bad,” to fill the wedding
hall with guests (Matt. 22:8–10). In Holy Baptism, He clothes them all in the “wedding garment” of His own perfect
righteousness (Matt. 22:11). Therefore, “do
not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God,” and “rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil.
4:4–6).
Preparation for next week, Proper 23
Monday, 09 October 2023—Isaiah
61:10; Antiphon, Psalm 146:2—The Gospel reading for next Sunday is the
parable of the Wedding Feast, and the Introit helps establish a theme, by
bringing in images relating to a wedding and the wedding garments. It speaks of
us being clothed with garments of
salvation. This same sort of imagery
is used in Revelation, when it is said that the saints clothed in white robes
have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. This is
rich sacramental imagery, portraying Baptism; the parable of the Wedding Feast
has similar sacramental imagery, but that of the Lord’s Supper, the Sacrament
of the Altar.
Tuesday, 10 October 2023—Psalm
23—The psalm for the day, the well-known 23rd
Psalm, also has sacramental imagery, as we are told that the Lord leads us beside still waters,
restoring our souls, and leading us in the paths of righteousness.
Holy Baptism restores our souls; the Word of God leads us in the paths of
righteousness. Later in the psalm, there is, again, the image of a feast being
prepared for us who are righteous on account of being baptized into the name of
Jesus.
Wednesday, 11 October 2023—Isaiah 25:6–9—The
prophecy of Isaiah looks forward to the Last Day and portrays eternity in
heaven as a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full
of marrow, of aged wine well refined. One of the post-communion collects
refers to the Sacrament of the Altar as a foretaste of the feast to come.
Indeed, it is a real partaking of the feast in heaven, with angels and
archangels, and all the company of heaven, those who have gone before us
and died in the faith. The only difference is, so long as we live on the earth,
we have to return our daily lives, while the feast goes on eternally.
Therefore, we continue in the collect, Keep us firm in the true faith
throughout our pilgrimage that, on the day of His coming, we may, together with
all Your saints, celebrate the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom which
has no end.
Thursday, 12 October 2023—Philippians 4:4–13—St
Paul urges us to Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.
Rejoice, for the Lord has washed us clean in Holy Baptism, clothing us in white
garments, and inviting us to the marriage feast of the Lamb in His kingdom,
which has no end. He reminds us that the Lord is at hand. The Lord is,
indeed, at hand; He is as near as His Word and Sacrament. Wherever the Word is
preached in its truth and purity and the Sacraments are rightly administered,
there the Lord is, dispensing the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.
Friday, 13 October 2023—Matthew 22:1–14—As we near the end of the Church
Year, so the readings come closer to the end of our Lord’s earthly life, and
begin to reflect on the Last Day, when we shall come into His heavenly kingdom.
There are a number of themes un this parable. Those wedding guests who shunned
the king’s invitation may be compared to the Jews, to who the Word of the Lord
was given and whom the Lord chose as heirs of His kingdom. By and large, they
have rejected the long-promised Messiah, and have no place at the eternal
wedding feast in heaven. Likewise, those who come in unprepared, without a
wedding garment, without a garment of salvation, trying to enter the feast of
their own accord. These, too, will be rejected, for no one makes himself worthy
of the kingdom of heaven; it is the Lord and King Himself who gives us the
garment of righteousness.
Saturday, 14 October 2023—The hymn of the day is A
Multitude Comes from the East and the West (LSB #510). It reflects the message of Jesus’
parable of the Wedding Feast. Those present at the heavenly banquet will come
from every nation, from all tribes
and peoples and languages (Rev. 7:9). At the heavenly
marriage feast, we will dine with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all who have
trusted in the Lord for their salvation, who have placed their trust in the
merits of the promised Messiah, our Lord Jesus.
Prayer for the mission of the Church: Almighty God,
You have called Your Church to witness that in Christ You have reconciled us to
Yourself. Grant that by Your Holy Spirit we may proclaim the good news of Your
salvation so that all who hear it may receive the gift of salvation;
Prayer for
those outside the Church: Almighty and everlasting God, You desire not the death
of a sinner but that all would repent and live. Hear our prayers for those
outside the Church. Take away their iniquity, and turn them from their false
gods to You, the living and true God. Gather them into Your holy Church to the
glory of Your name;
Prayer for those who are separated from
the Church: O God, protect the tempted, the distressed, and the
erring, and gently guide them. By Your great goodness bring them into the way
of peace and truth. Graciously regard all who are in trouble, danger,
temptation, or bondage to sin, and those to whom death draws near. In Your
mercy draw them to Yourself;
Lectionary
summary on front page from LCMS Commission on Worship
Prayers from Lutheran Service Book © 2006
Concordia Publishing House
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