28th Sunday in Ordinary Time
By Fr. Victor Feltes
Jesus in Sunday’s Gospel likens the Kingdom of God to a king throwing a wedding feast for his son. Servants are sent out twice to call the initial invited guests but they ungratefully refuse to come. They ignore the summons; one goes to his farm, another to his business, while others mistreat and kill the king’s messengers. So the king has those murderers slain and then sends out servants anew to invite to the wedding feast whomever they can find. In this way, the king’s hall is filled with guests, both the good and the bad alike. When the king comes in to meet his guests he sees a man not dressed in a wedding garment. The king asks him, “My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?” But the man has no answer. He has no excuse. He is reduced to silence. So the king has his attendants bind that man’s hands and feet and toss him into the darkness outside “where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” This parable of Jesus is about Christ’s Church and the judgment of souls that awaits us.
The king in this parable is God the Father. He has prepared a wedding feast for his Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus repeatedly refers to himself in the Gospels as “the Bridegroom” and New Testament Scripture calls the Church his Bride. Everyone is invited to this wedding feast both the Jews and Gentiles, both the lofty and lowly, both the bad and the better. All are invited, but not all respond. Many people ignore the royal summons. A farmer might be driven off by his many anxieties. A business owner might be distracted by his greed for wealth. Disordered desires and fears can keep us from responding to God. Some people in the world even hate Christians, sometimes going so far as to murder Christ’s servant-messengers. All are invited, but we must respond.
None of us deserves this invitation. The king says of those invited in the first group that “were not worthy to come.” And the people in the second group were simply whoever could be found. None of us has earned this invite. It is offered to us as a gracious gift. But we must respond to our King with trusting faith. Many people enter the royal hall. God’s Church gathers both the good and bad alike. But when we stand before the King of Kings it is important that we be dressed for the occasion.
The Book of Revelation describes the Holy Church gathered before God. Its author, St. John, hears a multitude say: “‘Let us rejoice and be glad and give [God] glory. For the wedding day of the Lamb has come, his bride has made herself ready. She was allowed to wear a bright, clean linen garment.’ The linen represents the righteous deeds of the holy ones. Then the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.’ And [the angel] said to me, “These words are true; they come from God.” A man whom the King sees before him not dressed in righteous deeds will be asked “My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?” That man, if he has no good excuse, will be reduced to silence and cast out forever.
Our forgiveness and salvation through Christ are not earned, but we can choose to spurn them to our loss. Jesus expects us to repent of our sins and produce good fruits in him. When did you last go to Christ in Confession? What are you doing for the sake of Christ’s Kingdom? As St. Paul told the Galatians, ‘Only faith working through love counts for anything.’ Jesus’ reminds us in his parable today that “Many are invited, but few are chosen.” So do not disqualify yourself, but joyfully prepare for his feast.
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