Theme: We are called to accept the invitation of the Lord and wear wedding garments.
Introduction: Today's readings from the Book of Isaiah, [Is. 25:5-10] the Letter of Paul to the Philippians [Phil. 4:10-14, 19-20] and the Gospel of Matthew [Mt. 22:1-14] speak of an invitation to the Great Feast of the Lord Jesus.
Story of an ad in front of a tailoring shop: God made man but we make gentle man
Today’s readings tell us that God has wonderful things in store for us. Summarizing these readings, we see the first one which is prophetic in nature. It speaks of the Great Feast that is to come. The Second Reading echoes how God provides for our needs. The Third Reading tells us that God calls everyone but few answer His calling. Everyone, no matter what kind of past they have had, receives the same invitation to sit down at God’s table. However, having initially answered the invitation, we cannot take things for granted. There is no room for complacency. Le us go into the details of the readings and see what challenges God puts before us.
The first and the third readings use the image of banquet and feast that tells us about the abundance of God’s love. This indeed should invite one to gratefulness and thanksgiving. Every one receives the invitation and all are called to respond to the invitation, from the first to the last. In Prophet Isaiah we have a graphic description of the great banquet that the Lord will prepare for his people. There will be rich food and fine wines; there will be neither mourning nor death. “The Lord will wipe away the tears from every cheek”. There will be exultation and rejoicing “that he has saved us”.
The Second Reading fits perfectly with today’s other two readings. The reading shines in Divine Providence, showing how the Lord God provides for His children. Paul had learned to be content with whatever he had. He had learned the secret of being well fed, referring to spiritual food. He found strength in the Lord Jesus. While Paul had to endure sufferings for a while, he saw the grace of God that came with such suffering. He endured all what was being sent his way for the sake of the spreading of the Gospel.
In the gospel passage, on the surface it evokes mixed feelings: a king should cast into darkness a passerby from the street because he was not wearing a wedding garment. He was someone who was suddenly called and placed in the wedding hall. He may not have carried a wedding garment all the time with him. Because of the original refusals he was doing the king a favor by responding and coming for the meal. The servants too indiscriminately gathered all good and bad for the celebration. Yet he was singled out and was thrown into the outer darkness. Some have even suggested that in the cloak room garments were provided for all the guests. But a refusal to wear would be that person’s fault. In any case the man was wrong and not the king. This is clear from the key sentence of the Gospel which is revealing: “But he was silent.” He had no one word to say in his defense at least to say that he was unjustly accused. He had nothing to say, no excuse, no explanation, and no protest. His silence betrayed him and he was set aside.
Wedding garment –We are called to wear a wedding garment. Wedding garment means love, righteousness, repentance, faith, service, holiness reverence etc.
We can give excuses to the invitation like the people in this gospel. The man who preferred his farm represents anyone who is attached to material things and refuses God’s invitation. The man who went to his business represents those with an over eager desire for worldly gain. Those who put to death the king’s servants represent those who by excessive greed, lust, selfishness and even addictions destroy the messengers who show the path to the kingdom and are blind to the Good News.
There is a story of a priest visiting a home. On enquiring why the man of the house did not come for Sunday mass, he replied, I have stopped going to church, because all those who go to church are hypocrites and sinners. The priest replied, “There is enough room for another sinner, my friend”.
The invitation of god is open to all. It is not that sinners may remain sinners but sinners may come and become a saint. We all accept the invitation of God always and wear in life the garment of Christian virtues.
