Friday, October 20, 2017

THE ROYAL BANQUET




Reflection for the 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
(Is 25:6-10, Phil 4:12-14.19-20, Mt 22:1-14)
1.0.  “On this Mountain...”
Today the Prophet Isaiah declares the mountain of salvation. On this mountain, the Lord of hosts will prepare for all peoples an expensive feast. And there he would remove the veil spread over all nations. This mountain of celebration is also a platform of salvation, where death would be destroyed forever, tears wiped away from all faces, and the reproach of God’s people removed. This is a living mountain where all who come live freely and happy. It is a mountain of grace. “Let us, then, have no fear in approaching the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace when we are in need of help” (Heb 4:16). Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled on Mount Calvary and is celebrated today in the Eucharist.
 
2.0. “ ...Come to the marriage feast”
Jesus tells us the parable of the King who organized an expensive wedding for his son. The king loved his son so much that he committed so much to celebrate him. And he extended this love and joy to others, inviting them to participate in the love he has for his son. “But they would not come.” Imagine such embarrassment! Still he was patient and kind enough to send more servants, this time with deeper explanation about the splendour of the party. “But they made light of it and went off, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them.” How can they be causal to what their king takes seriously? They brought destruction upon themselves...But the king would not allow his son to hang in shame. New guests were invited, this time peoples from every corner of the earth, both bad and good. And the hall was full.

So the parable tells about the wedding feast of the lamb (cf. Rev 19:6-9). It talks about the transfer of the invitation to the Gentiles, and the marriage of Jesus and the Church—a permanent union, where Jesus is the Head and the Church His Body (cf. Col 1:18). The gathering of the Church is a foretaste of the eternal gathering of the children of God in Heaven. And the Church celebrates Jesus. So Jesus is that living Mountain of salvation, where are drawn to feast and to be saved.

3.0.  The Wedding Garment
“When the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment.” The wedding garment ordinarily belonged to the Bridegroom and Bride. Now the invited guests are expected to put on the same garment. We have to put on the resemblance of Christ, such that God the Father sees the image of His Son in us. Hence, we are grafted into the wedding feast as His adopted sons and daughters. By choosing us to share in the love the Father has the Son, we have become a royal people, chosen for His own possession (1 Pet 2:9). 

Thus, wearing the garment means putting on the image of Christ and the Church—the Bridegroom and the Bride. Though we are sinners and unworthy of so great a Banquet, we must purify our selves, receive His forgiveness and imitate Jesus in our daily lives. The Holy Eucharist nourishes us. We consume Jesus, and must reflect his righteousness in our lives like a garment. Our actions should showcase what we profess—indicating we have accepted the invitation to dine at the Royal Banquet. But the one who fails to put on the wedding garment—who approach this Banquet unprepared—would be treated like the first invitees who turned against the King (1 Cor 11:28-32).

4.0.  “For many are called, but few are chosen”
Jesus warns us: to receive the invitation is not an end in itself. It is not enough for one to be a member of the Church or a pious group. Those who have received the grace to share in the love of the Father in the Son must back it up with an active live of virtue. Desire for heaven is not sufficient, our garment, our daily lives must reflect the righteousness of Jesus and faith of the Church. St Paul gives us a practical step to achieve this in the second reading.

“...In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want.” He gives us example of a certain level of detachment from material things, such that our motivation is not determined by what we have or do not have. In this way, whether we have farm or business, we always long to climb the Mountain of salvation. This disposition of detachment would enable us realize that it is God who supplies our every need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:12.19).  

The external manifestation of this disposition constitutes a response to the Banquet on this Mountain of grace. And the habitual living out of this disposition of detachment for the Royal feast becomes a garment in which we resemble the Bridegroom and the Bride. These are the chosen few. And they will always be few. Our determination is to ensure we are among this chosen few.

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Sacred Heart Catholic Church,
Gwagwalada, Abuja.
Nigeria.
October 15, 2017.



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