Thursday – St. Bernard

Gospel – Matthew 22:1-14

Dress Code

Wedding Feast (Garment) 1974

 

Years ago I remember going to a business lunch with a group of teachers in New York.  I didn’t realize there was a dress code (jackets) and I didn’t bring one.  The restaurant staff gave me one awful looking slightly smelly jacket that was available just for people like me.  It was embarrassing!

We read in today’s Gospel about a wedding feast given by a rich man for his son.  All his friends and relatives were invited; and all refused to come.  They didn’t just forget; they made a deliberate choice not to attend.  Eventually the father invites in anyone/everyone he can find – the poor, the good, the bad.  But when the father comes in to greet all his guests, he sees someone not wearing a wedding garment.

Now this is where I always had problems with the parable.  That poor man, how can you expect him to have a wedding garment; he just got invited at the last moment.  How rude!  How inconsiderate of the host!  But wait a minute, not so fast! 

It was the responsibility of the host to provide a wedding garment for all the guests, not the guests themselves!  That way, no one needed to feel embarrassed because they were not dressed as well as others.  This way everyone was dressed the same and all could enjoy the celebration.  I guess that would have worked well for me if everyone was wearing that same awful coatJ

This is obviously a metaphor for the Kingdom of Heaven.  All are invited.  But some will refuse to come!  Others come willingly and accept the wedding garment (following the teachings of Christ).  And that other guest?  Well basically the guest without a wedding garment was making a deliberate choice of disobedience and disrespect.  He was offered the garment but he refused.  He wanted to enjoy the benefits of the wedding feast without following the instructions of the host (God).  He wanted to enter the Kingdom but only on his terms.

Too often, we think we know better; we have a better plan than anyone else, even God.  We want to walk our own path without concern for others.  And only later do we see and suffer the consequences.  Following Christ is not always easy but the reward is worth it.

Creator of all, grant me today the wisdom and humility to follow your Word and the courage to see it through.  Aho!

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