28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Fr Dominic’s Homily

So you may have seen the film about the wrong trousers – well this is the parable of the wrong wedding garment! We have had various parables about vineyards but today it is about a banquet and again it is Jesus explaining what the kingdom of heaven is like.

So we have this king who makes ready a banquet and invites people to the wedding of his son. But the people he invites show disinterest and even violence towards the messengers. We hear that some ignored the invitation and some even killed the ones who invited them. So the king then becomes angry.

Next the king sent his servants into the highways to gather together more people. He wasn't concerned about their character, about their past or social standing, about their abilities or their popularity. He just wanted all to come to the wedding celebration.

Then he treats that one guest in such a dramatic way. He binds him up and throws him out just because he is wearing the wrong garment. It’s a bit of a crazy story! (Now at that time wedding guests were all provided with garments.)

So what are the twists in this parable? Well, this king is inviting people to the wedding of his son. It’s a really prestigious event. If you get an invitation to this royal wedding you are definitely going to go.

Yet we hear that people have all sorts of excuses and supposed reasons why they do not want to go. And not only that but they even attack and kill the messengers!

The king of course is meant to represent God. And the son is Jesus and the servants are again the prophets. The guests – you and I. So this story depicts the best possible invitation from the highest person in the universe to the best event imaginable. A personal invitation from God to join him in heaven.

We have all received this invitation from God. If you took a survey and went out into the streets right now I think you would find that most people have heard of God. But what reactions do you see? Apathy? Disinterest? Indifference? Even anger and rejection of Him. It seems that we can consistently refuse the invitation from God.

Then of course we hear this crazy twist in the story at the end. Someone has just arrived at this great event, but the king gets furious because he is found to be wearing the wrong garment!

And the person is tied up and thrown into the darkness. This sounds terrible. But to a first century Jew they would know exactly what Jesus was meaning here. Jesus is indicating that to be in the banquet with the King is to be in heaven but to be tied up and thrown outside represents the darkness of hell.

So what about this garment? Well, the garment represents our choice to be a follower of God. To change our disposition of heart and conform it to that of Jesus. If we do not have a garment it is because we have chosen not to follow Christ. To be without one is to face the Father unprepared.

The king’s asks: “How did you get in here, my friend, without a wedding garment?” Perhaps God may ask us when we meet him face to face: “Why have you come to me without really changing in any way? Without making any effort to do what I have been asking you to do?”

When the man is confronted by the king we hear that he is silent. He made no excuses and offered no apologies. This is because when confronted with the truth, there wasn't much that he could say. He knows in his heart that the Kings accusation is perfectly correct.

The wrong garment indicates the fact that his life has undergone no change. It has borne no fruits. So this extreme reaction of the king shows us the importance of responding to God’s invitation and then clothing ourselves appropriately.

We have all been invited to God’s banquet. But we must change accordingly. If we are still clothed in the rags of sin or the flimsy cloth of self-importance, we will not enter. Are you still wearing the handmade cloth of your own version of what you think our faith should be? Then it’s time to change garments.

If there are things that you think you need to do, family members you need to forgive, changes that you need to make that you just keep putting off for another time – do it now to save any awkward silences when you stand before the King.

Remember - how we are dressed when we leave this world will determine whether or not we can enter the banquet of eternity.