Tuesday of Week 31 in Ordinary Time
Phi 2:5-11
Lk 14:15-24
But all alike started to make excuses.
Brothers and sisters, have you ever told someone who invited you to an exclusive event, “I can’t come; I’m busy with something else right now”? Maybe it was a concert, a wedding, or an intimate gathering, and you had every intention of attending. Yet, something pressing enough came along that you felt compelled to decline. Your ‘something else’ had to be important, at least in that moment, if it led you to prioritise it over the invitation.
In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus illustrates how often we’re proud of being busy, frequently choosing immediate, tangible tasks over chances for spiritual enrichment and genuine connection. In the parable, three individuals respond to an invitation to a magnificent banquet with excuses. The first says, “I have bought a piece of land and must go see it.” Another says, “I have bought five yoke of oxen and am on my way to try them out.” And yet another claims, “I have just got married, and so I cannot come.”
On the surface, none of these reasons seem compelling nor urgent. Who buys land and only afterward goes to inspect it? Who purchases five yoke of oxen without first testing them? And why would a newly married couple turn down a chance to celebrate at such a grand event? These reasons come across not as genuine conflicts, but rather, as excuses born of misplaced priorities and distractions.
Jesus uses this story to illustrate a profound truth: we tend to prioritise personal and material concerns above opportunities for growth, community, and spiritual fulfilment. We often fall into the habit of placing transient, self-centred commitments ahead of the deeper call to God’s banquet—the invitation to a fuller, richer life in communion with God and others. This parable challenges us to reconsider what we allow to occupy our time and energy, especially when these ‘urgent’ tasks pull us away from God’s invitation to salvation and community.
God desires a full banquet hall — He wants every seat occupied, each space filled with souls eager for connection and joy. And Jesus makes clear in this parable that true celebration happens in community, especially through extending a hand to “the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.” In other words, salvation and spiritual joy are offered to all, regardless of their societal status or personal achievements.
Let us recognize the urgency of this call to salvation and not turn it away with excuses. Each missed opportunity represents a moment we cannot reclaim. As Jesus warns, “not one of those who were invited shall taste of my banquet.” Let us rejoice in this sacred invitation and eagerly accept, for the banquet brings not just future fulfilment but immediate joy and unity with God.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Stacey Fernandez)
Prayer: Jesus, I pray to stop making excuses and prioritise opportunities for genuine connections with others and you.
Thanksgiving: Jesus, thank you for inviting me to a banquet of joy and unity with you.
OXYGEN 
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