Homily (Reflection) for the Twenty-Eighth
Sunday of the Year (A) (15th October, 2017) on the Gospel
Is 25:6-10;
Ps 22. (R.v.6);
Phil 4:12-14.19-20;
Matt 22:1-14 or 22:1-10.
In this parable of the wedding
banquet, who is to blame – the man who went to the banquet without a wedding
robe (unprepared), cf. Matt 22:11-12
or the host who charged his servants to “Go therefore into the main streets,
and invite everyone you find to the
wedding banquet” (Matt 22:9) or the
slaves who “went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both
good and bad …. (Matt 22:10)? It is
important to note that the man without the wedding robe was not among those who
were given prior information about the banquet. He was one of the people the
slaves met in the streets. Who knows where he was going to before the servants
met him with the instruction to invite everyone to the banquet?
Topic:
Wedding banquet and the robe.
This parable is about the kingdom
of heaven. The invited guests had other things they considered more important
than the kingdom of heaven (wedding banquet). We read from the parable, “…they
made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business” (Matt 22:5). Could it be that the farm
and the business could not be attended to if the invitations were honoured? Some
of the invited guests could not even bear the sight of the slaves that were
sent. Hence, “…the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them” (Matt 22:6).
Considering the plight of the man found without the wedding
robe, what could be the reason for the king’s reaction? We read from the
parable, “Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they
found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests” (Matt 22:10). But if they really invited
both the good and the bad, how come it was only one man who was not with the
wedding robe?
To better understand this, it is important to first
understand the cultural background of the parable. This parable was told by a
Jew to the Jews and on the Jewish soil. The wedding robe in the Jewish culture
can be liken to the robe worn by those who take the readings during liturgical
functions. These readers are not expected to come with the robes but to collect
it either from the person in charge or the sacristy before going to read. This
implies that no matter where a reader is going to when he/she is met with a
request to read will not have any excuse for not putting on the Lay Readers’
robe. For this reason, when the king asked the man without the wedding robe, “Friend,
how did you get in here without a wedding robe? … he was speechless” (Matt 22:12).
I would like us to understand this parable from two dimensions.
We read from the gospel,
Beware, keep alert; for you do not
know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he
leaves home and puts his slaves in charge, each with his work, and commands the
doorkeeper to be on the watch. Therefore, keep awake – for you do not know when
the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or at
cockcrow, or at dawn, or else he may find you asleep when he comes suddenly (Mk 13:33-36).
We are called to be ready at all times doing what we are
called to. The time the Master calls for each and every one of us is not an
excuse.
Again, during every Eucharistic celebration just before the
time for the reception of the Holy Communion, the president of the assembly with
Sacred Specie raised says: “Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away
the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb”.
These are the true words of God through an angel, cf. Rev. 19:9. As this biblical text is repeated everyday and everywhere
the Eucharist is celebrated, what do you make out of this invitation? Do you
partake of the marriage supper of the Lamb of God? If yes, how do you prepare
for it or just because others do; so …? If no, why because from the words of
Jesus Christ, it is clear that it is not optional:
Very truly, I tell you, unless you
eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those
who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up
on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink (Jn 6: 53-55).
We ought to view the wedding garment not as an article of
clothing one can put on. The church is not a gathering for showcasing the
latest in town. We can partake of the wedding banquet of the Lamb only if we
put on our “wedding garment”. Hence, our brother insists,
Whoever, therefore, eats the bread
or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the
body and blood of the Lord. Examine yourselves, and only then eat of the bread
and drink of the cup. For all who eat and drink without discerning the body,
eat and drink judgement against themselves (1Cor 11: 27-29).
Although the invitation to the
banquet is gratuitously given, one must make good out of it. Unless one comes
prepared, he/she will not enjoy the banquet – both those who did not attend and
the one who did not prepare for it paid for their inability to make something
good out of the invitation given to them, cf. Matt 22:7,13. The instruction “Go therefore into the main streets,
and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet” implies that the call to
repentance is for everybody. Yet the question “Friend, how did you get in here
without a wedding robe?” implies that sinners must make something good out of
the invitation. We are all sinners but God who called us all without any merit
on our side expect us to come with the wedding garment. Are you ready?
Remember, “… many are called, but few are chosen” (Matt 22:14). Do whatever possible to be part of that few.
Bible Reading: Mk 13:32-37; Lk 12:35-48; 14:15-24.
Thought for today: What do you prefer to God and His call to
holiness?
Let
us pray: Let us pray: God, give me your grace to enable me always say yes to you with my
words and my actions – Amen.
You are
free to share this reflection with others if you consider it worthy.
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