14th Sunday after Pentecost
2 Corinthians 1,21-24;2,1-4 Matthew 22,2-14
When our Latin friends come to the end of their liturgical year in November, they celebrate the feast of Christ the King and look at the second coming of our Lord. Today is the last Sunday of our liturgical year, but we don’t make as big a fuss as they do. So, it’s kinda appropriate that this, the 14th Sunday after Pentecost, just happens to come at this point.
We don’t talk much in our Rite about the second coming or the surrounding events. But ultimately, our Gospel addresses it.
The Wedding Feast is shown as having three callings. The first time the king calls, the people just refused to come. In the same way, when God began calling people at the very beginning, they refused to come to Him. Up until the time of Abraham, those responding to God’s call were few and far between.
The second calling resulted in some people ignoring the call and going about their own business. Other people did respond, but they responded negatively, killing the messengers. In the same way, some of the Children of Israel ignored God’s call, and went about their business. Others killed the messengers, God’s prophets.
Those hearing the parable would have known that he destruction that came about was in two stages. After the death of King Solomon, Israel was divided. The Northern Kingdom, which retained the name Israel, became more and more rebellious against God. After 200 years, in 722 BC, it was conquered by the Assyrian Empire.
The Southern Kingdom, which was called Judah, lasted a little longer, falling to the Babylonian Empire about 150 years later. And in the process, Solomon’s Temple was destroyed.
So, God’s call went out to the whole world. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life”.
Now, it’s appropriate that this Gospel reading comes today, at the end of the liturgical year. The Wedding Feast in the parable points to the end of history. We read in Revelation, chapter 19, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready; to her it has been granted to be clothed with fine linen, bright and pure”— for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’”
In the Gospel, the king notices a man at the wedding feast, one of those “whomever” was invited. But this man was not wearing the proper garment, and was thrown out. Imagine being invited to a wedding feast, and showing up in shorts and a tank-top. I imagine it would be a similar situation.
What kind of garment are we to wear at the Wedding Feast of the Lamb? The passage from Revelation tells us. “The fine linen is the righteousness deeds of the saints”. What righteous deeds? Well, to begin with, practicing out the Works of Mercy - both Spiritual and Corporal. Further, practicing and developing the virtues.
But those are external acts. Pope Francis writes, “I invite all Christians, everywhere, at this very moment, to a renewed personal encounter with Jesus Christ, or at least an openness to letting him encounter them; I ask all of you to do this unfailingly each day. No one should think that this invitation is not meant for him or her, since ‘no one is excluded from the joy brought by the Lord.’” And St Catherine of Siena tells us that God is head over heels in love with each of us.
Yes, God loves us. Of course, being human, we can never love as deeply, as completely, as God loves us. But we can cultivate our love for Him. And we are to love Him not only with the mind, but also with the heart, soul, and strength. We must engage our emotions in our love for Him.
The first way to cultivate our love, of course, is that we can receive the Sacraments. As the Paschal Communion Antiphon says, “Receive the Body of Christ. Taste the medicine of immortality”. The Eucharist is the source and summit of our faith. And Confession is the restoration of our relationship with Christ.
The second is prayer. Pray scripture. Pray the psalms. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you through His Word. Pray the Rosary, or any of the other number of good devotions.
The third path to cultivating our love for God is praise. Psalm 149 says, “Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise in the assembly of the faithful. Let Israel be glad in its Maker; let the children of Zion rejoice in their King. Let them praise his name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre. For the Lord takes pleasure in his people; he adorns the humble with victory”.
He takes pleasure in our praise, and He adorns the humble with victory. Another translation says “He will beautify the humble with salvation”.
Consider some of the things we say, or sing, in our Liturgy.
The First Antiphon says, “Shout to God, all the earth. Sing now to his name, give glory to his praise”. Shout, not speak, shout to the Lord.
The Third Antiphon says “Come let us sing joyfully to the Lord”. Not sing quietly, but sing joyfully.
The Tone Three Prokeimenon verse - “Clap your hands all you nations. Shout unto God with a voice of praise”.
And the first psalm of the Typica says, “Bless the Lord, O my soul”. This isn’t asking God to bless us, but telling us to bless the Lord - with our praise. He takes pleasure in his people!
When you say these things, don’t just repeat the words. Let them become a part of your mind, your soul. Don’t just say them, feel them!!
Let me close with Psalm 150
Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty firmament!
Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his surpassing greatness!
Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp!
Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe!
Praise him with clanging cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
Let everything that breathes praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
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