We're All Invited To The Wedding Feast!

Hello!  ¡Hola!  Fall is definitely in the air, with cooler mornings, but my schedule is still overflowing.  Besides special liturgies at my 2 churches, I have 2 diocesan-related trips coming up in the next 2 weeks.  With a little organization, and the strength I find in the Lord, I know I'll make it through.

For my first project, I have an ATC inspired by Shopping Our Stash SOS 584 - Black Cats, ATC Around the World - Autumn Flowers, and Tag-Along (And ATC's) - All Things Autumn.  (BTW, thanks TA&ATC's for selecting my last ATC as a DT Favourite!)  For my design, I used the Infünly Animals die set, the KSCraft ATC dies set, and an old Martha Stewart 3-in-1 Hydrangea punch from my stash.  I used Sakura Gellyroll Moonlight pens for the details and a Bomichi Quote Sticker for the sentiment.

Next, I have an Autumn art journal page I did, featuring a quote by Henry David Thoreau, the 1800's American naturalist, essayist, poet, and philosopher.  The quote is about valuing the freedom, quiet, and independence of being alone—even on a hard, lumpy pumpkin—far more than the false comfort of a crowded velvet cushion shared with society's expectations.  I cut and pieced the pumpkin using different prints of Autumn papers.  I am submitting this page to Just Add Ink #796 - Just Add Paper Piecing, Ellibelle's Garden Party No. 20, and The Paper Funday Challenges October 2026 Challenge #92 - Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice.  (BTW) Thanks TPFC for the September Win!

Last week, Julia Dunnit posted, "Oh Deskers, we gather on Wednesday905, with great sadness and shock, to remember Sarah, and celebrate that section of her life that she shared with us."  Julia was the founder of the WOYWW community, but handed the management over to Sarah Brennan 125 weeks before.  I never met Sarah in person, but got to know her through her beautiful artwork, her friendly posts, and her gracious comments on my blog.  When visiting Jan's blog, I found the photo above, so I reached out to her to ask permission to use it as a reference for my pencil portrait. - Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servant Sarah. - I am submitting this to Word Art Wednesday #906, Art For Fun Friday 4055, and Friday Face Off 10/16/2026.

👷T Stands for Tuesday 10/13/2026

🦋My Sunday Snapshot 14 & Saturday's Critters #670

⛪ Mosaic Monday No.210 & My Sunday Best #503

The photos above are my this, that, and the other for last week... although they were all taken last Wednesday!  I took the 1st 👷photo at a red light, when driving to work.  I got the Autumn thermal coffee mug from a friend years ago.  The 2nd 🦋photo is of the first and only Monarch Butterfly I've seen this season in my Church's Prayer Garden.  We used to see them in droves migrating through Del Rio, Texas, on their way down to Mexico, every October.  Sadly, I have only seen handfuls of them in the past few years, as they are currently classified globally as vulnerable.  The 3rd ⛪photo features shots from the Blessing of the Animals, which I celebrated with our parochial students and families, as part of the Feast of St. Francis.  I got to bless dogs, cats, turtles, and even farm animals' photos that our students brought.

In closing, I want to leave you with a summary of my sermon, based on the readings for the 20th Sunday after Pentecost:

In the Parable of the Wedding Feast, Jesus uses a royal wedding banquet to explain God's inclusive invitation to salvation and our need for faithful readiness.  This is a parable of judgment, but not the judgment the world practices.  People in the world have a tendency to judge those whom they deem unworthy for whatever reason, so they exclude them.  In the parable, the King invites a group of people to the royal wedding, but they reject his invitation; so the King invites a 2nd group of people, which included the good and the bad.  Those in the 2nd group all attend, so the wedding hall is filled with guests.  Hence, the issue wasn't that the King was excluding anyone, but that the 1st group chose not to attend and simply go about their worldly business.  Furthermore, we must do our best to live a Christ-centered life, striving to be filled with steadfast joy, relational unity, and supernatural peace, as Paul told the Philippians.  Otherwise, we may be expelled, like the person that showed up to the banquet without a wedding garment.  God is love, and we're all invited to his Son's wedding banquet, so let's faithfully plan to attend.

Thanks for visiting!  ¡Gracias por visitarme!  Please leave a comment, and I'll be glad to reciprocate, so that we can get to know each other.

Shalom,

Arnoldo+