by Fr. Tommy Lane
When we want to talk about something spiritual, we can only do so using our earthly language. That’s what Jesus himself did. He said the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed which is the smallest of all seeds and grows into the biggest shrub. Jesus said God’s mercy is like a shepherd looking for his lost sheep. Sometimes Jesus described heaven as a banquet or wedding feast as our Old Testament reading from Isaiah today does (Isa 25:6-10). It describes heaven as a banquet at the end of time.
In the Gospel (Matt 22:1-14), Jesus tells a parable about the kingdom of heaven, but it is not looking to the end of time; we can see it about the kingdom of God in our time. Jesus says it is like a wedding celebration hosted by a king for his son’s wedding. The king is God the Father and the king’s son whose wedding is being celebrated is Jesus. When Jesus took our flesh and blood it was the wedding of God with humanity. Jesus is wedded to us since he took our flesh and blood. All of us in the Church are the bride of Jesus. Jesus is the bridegroom, and the Church is Jesus’ bride. John the Baptist describes himself in John 3:29 as the best man at this wedding of God with humanity in Jesus. So we have Jesus the bridegroom, we the Church the bride, and John the Baptist the best man.
However, in Jesus’ parable everything is not quite right. A Jewish wedding at the time of Jesus had two invitations: the first invitation announced the wedding and gave notice that it would take place in the space of a week so people would know to be ready. Then the second invitation announced the time of the wedding when the day had arrived. In the parable the problem is that those who received the first invitation refused to come to the wedding when they received the second announcement giving the time of the wedding. Not just once but twice in this parable, the king, God, sent servants to encourage the invitees to come to the wedding. We would think that since they refused to come to the wedding, the king would not bother with them again. But a second time the king sent his servants to the invitees to announce that the time for the wedding had come. This is because he is no ordinary or human king—this king is God who gives a second chance. That is good for us. If we or others condemn ourselves, God is the God of second chances who ever invites us. But incomprehensible as it is, the invitees refused this second reminder. So a third time the king, God, sent out his servants to bring in anyone they can find to the wedding celebration and the wedding hall was filled with guests. The king wanted the wedding hall full for the wedding celebration.
At the time of Jesus, this parable had a particular meaning. The king, God, was inviting the Jewish people to accept Jesus as the Messiah. But for the most part they were rejecting Jesus and in the time after Jesus, we Gentiles, non-Jewish people, came into the Church more and more. That was then but what does the parable mean for us now? God is continuing to invite us to the wedding of his Son Jesus to humanity. Some accept and some do not. God wants a full wedding hall, a full Church. We have the impression that many are refusing the invitation to the celebration for Jesus’ wedding to humanity now. The Church should be full. This parable is being lived out in our time.
Then Jesus gives the parable an unexpected twist. When the king came to meet the guests there was a man not dressed properly for the wedding and the king ordered him to be removed. For a second time in this parable, everything is not quite right. We were not expecting this because the king wanted the wedding hall to be full—God wants the Church full. The king, God, does not want people only going through the motions without making a commitment. That would be insincere and hypocritical. Jesus is merciful but wants people to be genuine and authentic when they answer his invitation. One of the beatitudes Jesus taught is “Blessed are the pure of heart.” One meaning of being pure of heart is being authentic and genuine, our lives matching what we say so we are not just going through the motions but are sincere.
Jesus concluded the parable saying many are called but few are chosen; the man without the wedding garment was called and invited but eventually not chosen because he did not bother with the wedding garment. To be chosen means answering God’s invitation in such a way that God will chose us to enjoy his banquet in his kingdom. Many can go through the motions but only some are genuine and authentic in answering God’s call to them. Again we have the impression this part of the parable is being lived out in our time. May we be among those called and invited who will answer God’s invitation in such a way that we will also be chosen to enter God’s kingdom.
© Fr. Tommy Lane 2023
This homily was delivered in a parish in Ireland.
More Homilies for the Twenty-Eighth Sunday of Year A
Answering God’s invitation to the banquet: Prayer 2020
Psalm Related: The Lord is my shepherd