Ezekiel 36:23-28;
Psalm 51 : 12-13.14- I 5.18-19,
Matthew 22: 1-14 Full Readings
The Wedding Garment
Today's Gospel presents to us a King who gave a feast for his son's wedding. He invited his guests but surprisingly at the time of the feast none of them turned up while giving different reasons. The king was really angry with them. The king then sent servants who went to the streets and collected everyone they came across to come to come to the wedding. Among those who came, one was without a wedding garment. He was bound and thrown outside to where there is grinding of teeth and suffering.
In this Gospel story of the royal wedding, two things go drastically wrong. First, the original wedding-guests refuse to come. Not only do they refuse, but they brutally maltreat the innocent messengers, and the king (who must stand for God) relentlessly burns down their city. With this Jesus teaches us an important lesson on responding to God's invitation and the consequences of not responding to his invitation. Jesus therefore offers a sort of examination of conscience for listeners to reflect on their response to God’s invitation.
What sometimes makes us not respond to God's invitation. Jesus tells us that one went off to his farm, a sign of remaining in one’s comfort zone. Are we not sometimes happy with where we are and not wanting to have anything to do with God? Another went off to his business, dismissing the invitation with the presumption that his concerns were more important than this invitation from God. He rejected the eternal king’s invitation to zealously set up his own kingdom. How many times have we created idols for ourselves taking the place of God in our lives and while they give us temporary satisfaction, are we not missing the eternal satisfaction that God gives? Another seized the servants and mistreated them. This reaction reflects those who find the Christian message uncomfortable and lash out by bullying others and not welcoming those proclaiming to us. Have we not even killed some of them? Is God happy with us? Will he destroy us as he destroyed their cities? In all we do let us know that God won't keep a blind eye to whatever we do and on the way we respond to his invitation.
The second thing that goes wrong is the man who has no wedding-garment being slung out. Did this man really deserve to be bound hand and foot and thrown outside into the darkness where there is wailing and grinding of teeth, just because he didn’t have the right clothing on and yet he was just collected from the street without prior invitation? Certainly not. But understanding this parable requires us to understand the symbolism of the wedding garment.
A wedding-garment is a standard Jewish image for works of generosity expected of every faithful Jew. For us Christians, too, the story constitutes a double warning. The man responded to God's invitation meaning he had faith but he did have what puts that faith in action. He did not have love and charity in him.
Saint John Chrysostom warns us: "But since you have already come into the house of the marriage feast, our holy church, as a result of God's generosity, be careful, my friends, lest when the King enters he find fault with some aspect of your heart's clothing..." Our hearts must be clothed in garments of love of charity lest we have faith with our charity, faith without actions which is dead (James 2:17). Scripture tells us that at the end of time, we shall only be judged based on the works and how we loved (Rev 20:12) not by mere having faith and going to church and then do nothing more for not every one who says Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven (Mt 7:21). Remember also devils believe and have faith (James 2:19). What will be the difference between us and devils if we only have faith without charity. We must clothe ourselves with right garment for the kingdom of God, that is, charity.
Reflect today on how you respond to the invitation of God. Reflect also on how you are trying daily to clothe yourself with charity as the ticket to the heavenly wedding feast. Be careful not to go to church or even talk about your faith while you have no charity in you, when God comes and find you like that, what will he be his reaction?
Let us Pray
Lord Jesus, help me prepare my heart for the wedding banquet you invite me to by choosing the right garment. Awaken my consciousness of your great blessings in this life and the invitation to eternal life with you. Amen
Be blessed
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