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Gospel: Matthew 22: 1-14
Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and the elders of the people in parables saying,
“The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who gave a wedding feast for his son.
He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast,
but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants, saying,
‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet,
my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’
Some ignored the invitation and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business.
The rest laid hold of his servants,
mistreated them, and killed them.
The king was enraged and sent his troops,
destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
Then the king said to his servants, ‘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.’
The servants went out into the streets
and gathered all they found, bad and good alike,
and the hall was filled with guests.
But when the king came in to meet the guests
he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.
He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it
that you came in here without a wedding garment?’
But he was reduced to silence.
Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet,
and cast him into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’
Many are invited, but few are chosen.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
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Did you ever show up to school without doing your homework?
To me it was the worst feeling ever, as if the entire day was over before it began.
Even if I knew I didn’t do it, I’d still turn my bookbag upside down and give it a good shake pretending it’d magically fall out.
My teachers were never fooled.
They knew as well as I did that I was simply unprepared. Still, I tried to provoke mercy out of them by making excuses.
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In the Gospel, Jesus uses a parable to describe the end of the world, and thus, the final judgment.
There are two groups: those who are permitted to attend the eternal banquet and those who are not. Each person is judged by a sole criterion: whether or not they’re wearing a wedding garment.
We might say, whether or not they’ve done their homework.
The white wedding garment symbolizes a pure heart. Anyone who’s stained their lives with impurity or sin cannot enter.
It sounds harsh. It is harsh.
But the Gospel reminds us about the importance of living holy lives.
Meaning, we go to confession; we attend Mass; we read the Word; we pray; we make room for God in our daily lives; we serve Him in our neighbor.
We do our homework.
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Whatever it takes to make sure we arrive at the banquet dressed appropriately, where there is a seat saved for anyone who has desired it – and lived accordingly.
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Image credits: (1) NeverThirsty (2) ThoughtCo (3) Endofthematter.com