READINGS: Is 25:6-10a; Phil 4:12-14, 19-20; Mt 22:1-14
By Rev. Fr. Daniel Tetteh Tackie
Today’s readings from the Book of Isaiah, the Letter of Paul to the Philippians and the Gospel of Matthew, speak of an invitation to the Great Feast of the Lord Jesus. Summarizing these readings, the first one is prophetic in nature. It speaks of the Great Feast that is to come. The Second Reading echoes how God provides for our needs. The Third Reading tells us that God calls everyone but a few answer His calling.
The reading from the Book of Isaiah is a prophecy regarding the promised salvation that was to come, it having been fulfilled through the Blood of Jesus Christ. This is confirmed by keywords that are used, these being, “On this mountain” [Is. 25:6] and “he will swallow up death forever.” Is. 25:7.
The prophecy of Isaiah in our first reading was about God preparing a banquet for all people (Isa 25:6-10), a banquet of fine wine. While it could refer to the feast at the end of time in heaven I think we could see it also referring to what God did for us in Jesus through the Church.
As more and more Gentiles entered the Church the Lord removed the veil covering all peoples. Isaiah’s word from God was that in the future not just the Jews would be the Chosen People but all peoples would be chosen and invited to God’s banquet. At this banquet prepared for all peoples Isaiah saw a feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.
Even though Isaiah’s prophecy about all being invited to taste the wine in the banquet (Isa 25:6) of the Church open to all people is now fulfilled, there is a warning at the end of the parable in the Gospel. The King noticed someone at the Wedding Banquet not wearing the wedding garment and ordered him to be thrown out (Matt 22:11-14). We can understand this to mean that the man was not living a good life, he was not living like one invited by God to his banquet. In the Book of Revelation we are told that the Bride of the Lamb, the Church, wears a clean white linen garment which is the righteous deeds of the holy ones (Rev 19:8). Yes, we are all invited to the feast in the kingdom of heaven but we are to come to the feast properly dressed, living good lives that show we are worthy to be invited to that feast.
Perusing carefully the Gospel Reading, one can deduce that the Parable isn’t really about the “kind” of clothes people are wearing. The “wedding garment” is just a metaphor for something else that is going on. Our real focus needs to be on two other things: first, the Invitation to the wedding celebration; and second, our Response to that appealing offer.
Jesus wants all people without exception to be saved and share in the glory of God. So the Invitation goes out – first to some specially “chosen” people, and later to everyone. It is an offer to believe in Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God; to believe in his Resurrection; and finally to believe in the Gospel message. Except for a small remnant, the specially “chosen” folks did not accept the generous Invitation. So the Invitation was extended to everyone in the world!
But to receive the Invitation to believe does not guarantee admittance into the kingdom. This moves our focus to the second point – i.e., preparation is necessary. To pay “lip service” to our faith in Jesus, but not live out his Gospel message, is to miss what Discipleship is all about. There is indeed a demand placed on followers of Jesus. We are called to live the moral and ethical values that he embodied in his lifetime and in his teachings. The “wedding garment” in the parable refers to true discipleship rather than uncommitted membership.
Jesus and the prophets use the image of a banquet, a wedding reception, more than any other to portray the consummation of God’s saving activity. The banquet becomes the symbol of our hopes that God will make all things well. What better image of the joy and fullness we will experience when death is vanquished and we are one with our God? But Jesus’ Parable also reminds us that in sending our RSVP to the invitation is not enough. We have to prepare ourselves for the occasion. What shall we wear? What gift should we bring? It is not enough to give verbal acceptance of the invitation to the Kingdom; we have to live out our response and we can’t do that on our own. Christ offers us the garment, but we have to choose to wear it.
As we proceed through this month of October, the month of Our Lady, the Mother of the great High Priest, let us turn to her and beg her to secure the graces we need to make our wedding garments ample and ornate with good works of Charity. May we not be reduced to silence when the King asks us about our wedding garment on our last day. Rather, may we realise the wish of the Psalmist who exclaims, “I shall live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life.” Amen.
