“Parable of the Great Banquet” (between 1525 and 1545) – Brunswick Monogrammist
After his death and resurrection, Jesus returns to the shore of the Sea of Galilee at dawn one morning, sees the disciples, who have gone back to fishing but have caught nothing, provides a catch for them, and then prepares breakfast for this unworthy bunch, invites them to bring some of the fish they have just caught and to come and have breakfast. Jesus is still choosing them, this time to gather around another meal with their Lord and Savior.
And this part—Peter, when he realizes that it is the Lord on the shore calling to them, he throws on some clothes, for he is naked. Now fully clothed, he jumps into the sea, and swims to shore, to join Jesus for breakfast.
When Peter hurries to put on clothes to swim to Jesus, he is putting on the new life that he suddenly realizes is waiting for him. He is putting on his wedding garment to wear to the banquet.
And so Jesus still invites us today to put on new life and to come to his table. He invites all of us.
As the invitation to the Eucharist says in the Celtic Eucharistic prayer that we will pray again on All Saint’s Day,
“For this is the table where God intends us to be nourished; this is the time when Christ can make us new. So come, you who hunger and thirst for a deeper faith, for a better life, for a fairer world. Jesus Christ, who has sat at our tables, now invites us to be guests at his.”
Imagine the times in your life when you’ve felt like you’ve been fishing all night and you haven’t caught a thing. Remember how Jesus has filled up your boat over and over with blessings, too many to count.
And now, at his invitation, bring what he has so graciously blessed you with, and even if you feel like you don’t have much to bring, even if all you can bring is weariness, bring what you’ve got.
Put on your wedding garment of new life, and come to the table, rejoicing in the Lord.
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