Peace and grace to all!
The parable of the wedding feast reminds us that the kingdom of heaven is primarily an invitation from God and it is open to all people; not just a particular group of “chosen ones.” This is good news! It underlines our awareness of God’s love for all people and all creation.
The invitation extended to us from God in the context of a wedding feast suggests a special joy, an excitement, an anticipation of a future full of new hopes, enrichment and possibilities! It reminds us of God’s protection, blessing and providence. God is lovingly present to each of us personally every moment. God is mindful of all that we need. Mindfulness on our part is watching for the ways that God is actively being a part of our everyday lives. It means noticing the hundred little things that fall into place or noticing that things could have been a lot more difficult or worse of God wasn’t there, almost imperceptibly, helping us each day. Prayer is the conversation we have with God many times a day. These are the moments when stewards and disciples consciously recognize God’s presence and activity and they give thanks for the help and make known desires and hopes—its a real relationship of love!
This parable also reminds us of the wedding feast of the Mass! For Christians, Sunday Mass is a Holy Day of Obligation in which we remember how he gave of himself completely for our sakes—and he still does! His is an undying, endless love! The right clothing represents those disciples and stewards who come before God to give thanks and offer a return for his many gifts. Suitable attire for this event means being clothed entirely in a way of life that honors and reverences God above all things and reflects the teaching of the Church. The Church identifies this inner disposition as charity: love of God and of neighbor. If we have hate, anger, harsh judgement, grudges or anything of that sort, then we are present in body only and we are unfit to receive Communion because we are not in a state of grace. The sacrament of Penance is required in this situation for healing and restoration of the true spiritual disposition we are called to. Let’s always be appropriately dressed for such a great event!
God bless you all! +++ Fr. Peter