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Gospel: Matthew 22:1-14
Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and 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 he 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.
The king 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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Dress in society has become increasingly casual.
You can walk into some of the best restaurants in New York City and see diners wearing t-shirts and jeans. Ironically enough, what sticks out these days is not casual dress, but a shirt and tie!
I first noticed this change with the dot-com revolution. Mark Zuckerberg, the founder and CEO of Facebook, became known overnight for his collarless t-shirt. Meanwhile, Steve Jobs, the late CEO of Apple, wore a black turtleneck, jeans, and New Balance sneakers.
Their fashion style eliminated the traditional difference between the living room and the boardroom.
Eventually, this trend trickled down to young people. What we once wore only at home has become the default dress code, weakening the distinction between the public and the private square.
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So, what does this cultural shift mean? And what might it tell us about today’s Gospel?
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Psychologists suggest that this shift reflects our preference for comfort, practicality, and the freedom to wear whatever we want wherever we want.
But the downside to dressing casually, certainly if you’re an honored guest at a wedding, is the fact that it can convey a lack of preparation or appreciation for the importance of an event.
Have we gone so far as to dress informally in front of anyone, from brides and grooms, to presidents or the pope?
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In today’s Gospel, this seems to be the case.
A king throws a wedding banquet for his son – and the guest list is extensive. But to the king’s utter surprise, nobody shows up!
As the champagne begins to warm, the steaks turn cold, and band members place their instruments down, the king sends out a second invitation to his distinguished guests.
Some ignore the invitation, claiming they have more important things to do. Others go so far as to kill the messengers delivering the invitations! It sounds so absurd it’s almost laughable.
Enraged, the king sends out his servants a third and final time, desperate to fill his banquet hall with warm bodies – seemingly anyone willing to celebrate with him. Eventually, the streets are emptied and the hall is filled.
Everyone shows up dressed to the nines with the exception of one person, whom Matthew describes as arriving without a “wedding garment.”
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What is this “wedding garment”? Is it a physical piece of cloth? Or does it symbolize something deeper?
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In Jesus’ day, nobody had a neatly pressed tuxedo or a lace-frilled dress hanging in their closet. But many, even the poor, had their “Sunday best.” Some outfit to wear on an important occasion.
Apparently, this man didn’t. Or, in the least, he chose not to change.
Perhaps he was a farmer who strolled in after a long day of working in the fields with his sweaty straw hat and muddy boots on, dragging dark sludge across the marble floors.
Even in our modern culture, he’d stick out like a sore thumb.
But his dress was not the real issue. It pointed to something deeper – his heart. Celebrating in the presence of the king stirred no awe, no excitement, no respect, no affection, not even fear inside of him.
To him, this wedding was no different than a Friday night at the local watering hole, with the exception of champagne and caviar.
Maybe he felt the king was lucky to have him on his guest list. Maybe he felt he was doing the king a favor by eating his food lest it go to waste.
Whatever his logic, this man showed no appreciation for his host or the occassion.
So, in stunning fashion, the king addresses him, “My friend, how is it that you came in without a wedding garment?” Then he casts him out into the darkness.
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Let’s be clear.
The “wedding garment” is not something physical. It’s the fabric of our lives.
The man without a wedding garment, whom I imagined with sweaty clothes and muddy boots, represents a person whose life has been muddied by sin.
Christians, on the other hand, are called to clothe themselves in virtue, a journey that begins in baptism. As Saint Paul says, “Put on love, that is, the bond of perfection.”
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Dress in society has become increasingly casual, perhaps challenging us to see beneath the surface. But what matters to God is not a suit and tie or a lack thereof; rather, who we are.
May we always be people of welcome, goodness, love, and faith, ready to stand before our king.
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Image credits: (1) fastcompany.com (2) Carlofam.com (3) cherylmarshall.com