Sunday Reflection with Fr Robin Gibbons -15th October 2017

28th Sunday in Ordinary Time.

I puzzled about this story for a long time; it isn't an easy one to hear because it acknowledges that there are many who refuse to accept the invitation of the King to come to the Wedding Feast. The context of the parable is clear, Jesus is moving towards the climax of his ministry and life and is facing opposition especially from the religious establishment.

He frequently refers to the Kingdom of Heaven in terms of a wedding feast so here the connection is fairly clear. For us this is a parable about our willingness to respond to God's grace, that is God's choice of us to be invited to the wedding feast of the Bridegroom, that is Jesus the Christ.

Yet it is a hard Gospel, twice invitations are rejected, the second time violence is at the heart of the refusal to come. Only then the King opens the feast to all comers, not just the righteous and good living, but also to sinners. This isn't just an open ended casual invite, there is a formality about it, those that come prepare by clothing themselves in the wedding garments provided by the King. What is this garment? Why, the acceptance of the Good News, salvation by clothing ourselves with repentance and forgiveness of sins and a new commitment to serve others in love and mercy.

There is a problem here, for too often in our present age people do not like to dwell on the dark side of faith, this is not about anger, wrath or hell fire, but about the darkness that the Good News comes to deliver us from. Just as there is good, so also there is evil in our world, people do bad things to each other and to creation, sometimes the quest for power overcomes us and we become selfish, unheeding, making ourselves the centre of our lives. A choice is given us, the question is are we willing to choose the invitation of Christ, to follow him and take up our cross daily?

In that small glimpse of conflict at the end of the tale we begin to discern what choice is. A guest is discovered not wearing the right garments, don't be fooled by the use of the word friend, Matthew is being ironic. This person is no friend, but somebody who has refused the invitation and does not want to be identified as part of the King's banquet. Quite simply this person is not prepared, nor willing to accept salvation.

I have no idea what happens to those who reject Christ or who are not people of good will, what we may call God's friends! Yet this parable reminds us that many are called but few choose the way. If anything the call here is to prepare ourselves each day, to seek and see salvation in the banquet of everyday life. Those few chosen ones seek not their own reward but give their lives as Christ did in unselfish love. They do not judge or condemn, that alone belongs to God, but in the darkness of sin and unbelief they light up the way with the morning star that is Christ working with, in and through them!!

Prayer for generosity by St Ignatius Loyola.

Eternal Word, only begotten Son of God,
Teach me true generosity.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve.
To give without counting the cost,
To fight heedless of wounds,
To labour without seeking rest,
To sacrifice myself without thought of any reward
Save the knowledge that I have done your will.
Amen.