Gospel: The Proper Wedding Garment

Today marks the Twenty Eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, where the Gospel reflection will be based on the writings of St Matthew.

Jesus began to speak in parables once again, "The kingdom of Heaven may be compared to a king who gave a feast for his son's wedding. He sent his servants to call those who had been invited, but they would not come. 

Next he sent some more servants with the words, 'Tell those who have been invited: Look, my banquet is prepared, my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, everything is ready. Come to the wedding.'

But they were not interested: one went off to his farm, another to his business, and the rest seized his servants, maltreated them and killed them.

The king was furious. He despatched his troops, destroyed those murderers and burnt their town. Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready; but as those who were invited proved to be unworthy, go to the main crossroads and invite everyone you can find to come to the wedding.'

So these servants went out onto the roads and collected together everyone they could find, bad and good alike; and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

When the king came in to look at the guests he noticed one man who was not wearing a wedding garment, and said to him, 'How do you get in here, my friend, without a wedding garment?' And the man was silent.

Then the king said to his attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot and throw him into the darkness outside, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.'

For many are invited but not all are chosen."

The Gospel for this Sunday builds up from last week's reading where Christianity's relations with Judaism was deeply explored, on how the chosen people of God were replaced by those people who will deliver the spiritual fruits due to God.

In today's reading, God invited his chosen people to a wedding feast but they would not come. And just like the analogy from last week, they even maltreated and killed their prophets. So God's wrath was upon them, he destroyed those murderers and tore down their temple. But because the wedding feast is already prepared and ready, he instructed the attendants to bring all the people they could find. So they brought everyone they could see from the streets, good and bad, to fill the hall with guests.

Then as the king came looking at the guests, he noticed a man who is not wearing wedding garments. So he instructed the attendants to bind him and throw him outside where there will be suffering and grinding of teeth.

This parable is very important in understanding our faith. That although God's grace invited everyone to partake in his banquet, those who were called in his presence must be very prepared to attend to this invitation. Everyone will be called, but in order to be chosen, we have to prepare ourselves for the occasion. Spiritually and mentally, we have to match this invitation with the same readiness as God's divine grace, to cooperate fully to accept this gift, so that we can take our proper place in his banquet.

Let us pray: Lord, allow us to prepare ourselves to respond to your call. Forgive us our sins, give us a pure heart, and remind us to extend generosity to those who are in need. Help us to see you in everything that we do, give us the strength to pray for those who need it, so that you can give us our deserved place in your banquet.

Amen.

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The Gospel reflection is sponsored by Apple Watch Series 6.