28th SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
Philippians 4: 12-14, 19-20
Matthew 22: 1-14
“Many are called
but few are chosen.”
Today’s gospel seems to consist of two parts (perhaps originally, of the two parables): the wedding banquet and the improperly dressed guest. The first part, on the one hand, gives us a thematic continuity of the gospel last Sunday. It again talks about “refusal,” i.e., the refusal of the invited guest to come. This time, however, it cites some reasons for such refusal. The second part, on the other hand, brings us another insight about worthiness in entering God’s kingdom. Let us meditate on these points.
1. “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son…” Right away, the gospel situates us at a very grand yet familiar occasion: a wedding banquet! And Jesus now compares the kingdom of God unto this familiar occasion so that the message of his parable may easily be understood.
Even in our own Filipino culture, wedding is always a big celebration. Especially in the barrios, such occasion is not only a family affair, but also a happy celebration for all. That is why everybody awaits for it with eagerness and joy. So, when the time comes, it is not surprising that everybody gathers and celebrates with the bride and the groom, even those who are not invited.
The kingdom of God is also something to be awaited with eagerness and joy, with a deep-seated expectancy. If God’s kingdom is likened to a wedding feast, everybody must be eager to come even perhaps those who are not invited. Such attitude seems unfamiliar. Seldom can we find somebody refusing such kind of invitation. But indeed they refused and they have various reasons why”
a. The first reason seems to be “indifference” or perhaps “carefreeness.” Some of them simply ignored the invitation and went away. This attitude is not something uncommon especially today in a quite permissive world where even the most fundamental ethical standards and the Word of God seems to hold little water. There are indeed many who are baptized, but for heaven’s sake we do not know if they understand what their own baptism means. They do not put enough concern over it. Good, if they even bother to think about it. So, how can they see the importance of the kingdom in their lives? This seems to be the “modern heresy” the church is experiencing today. It is the heresy of indifference and carefreeness. Like in the gospel, many of our brethren simply ignore God’s loving invitation and walk away.
b. The second reason Matthew gives us is our “other concerns” upon which we give much of our attention and priority. If we become carefree about the kingdom, it is because some other concerns pull us out of it. Matthew would refer these “other concerns” to the farm and business, which are likely to portray our anxiousness to the material aspect of life.
c. The third reason seems to be “irritancy or hatred.” This seems to be too unrealistic. Where in the can we find somebody killing a person because such a person simply invites people for a feast? In its face value, therefore, the parable’s presentation seems ridiculous. At a deeper examination, however, this seems to carry an amount of truth. Of course, not in its literal sense but in its deeper meaning. For some people, faith and religion are non-sense. It’s not worth something to attend to. It’s a waste of time. Thus, anybody who talks about it is an irritant and sometimes a person deserving to be hated. So, it is not that surprising when we see or hear some people driving out modern missionaries from their homes or are simply repugnant to men and women in habits.
2.
As a result of this refusal, the wedding feast is offered to all. “The feast
is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. Go out,
therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.”
Let us remember that the portrayal of a man and woman relationship – of a bride and groom, or of a husband and wife – has a deep and rich meaning in biblical literature. In the Old Testament, God is depicted as a loving and ever faithful husband of Israel. And although Israel, for countless times has betrayed her husband, God has remained constant and consistent I his love. In a very same manner, this relationship is carried over in the New Testament wherein Christ, the bridegroom, is united to his bride, the church. This union finds its highest expression of love at Calvary where the greatest love that can be shown by a lover to his beloved is to offer his life for the latter’s sake. And indeed, by the last drop of his blood that flowed from his side, the church was born.
The
wedding feast in today’s gospel abides with this old biblical theme about
marriage of God with his people, of Christ with his church. Surely, the king’s
son refers to Christ whose wedding depicts the union, which Christ wants to
establish with his people. Sadly, this union Christ intends is practically
rejected by his own people. Worse, his own even put him up on the cross. But
this could be a “felix culpa” in our salvation history. For indeed by
the death of Christ, when he slept the sleep of death, the New Israel is born.
This marks the going out into the main roads and inviting to the feast
whomever the servants find.
3. But although the invitation is now addressed to all, there is still a very important requirement needed for all those who come. This is the message of the parable figuratively described to us by the man with improper attire. But this is nothing to be surprise about. Even in a real wedding feast, one is expected to dress up properly. Thus, everyone who comes is also expected to be at his best. This has a double significance: first, so that the guest himself looks deserving for the invitation; second, so that the bridegroom may not be disgrace and degraded by any rugged and impious looks of his guest.
The call to salvation runs so familiar. By the blood of Christ, the boundaries of separation and discrimination are completely washed away. But the wedding feast and the gate into it have remained so sacred. One has to dress up properly with virtues and good works to enter into it and join the celebration. Besides, as the most dignified Bridegroom, the Lord must be most deserving too of the best that any invited guest can show and offer. Any improper attire is surely a show of disrespect and dishonor.