Gospel Mt 22:1-14
Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and elders of the people in parables, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son.He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. A second time he sent other servants, saying, “Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast.”‘
Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.’ The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to meet the guests, he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. The king said to him, ‘My friend how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ Many are invited, but few are chosen.”
Homily
It is almost a pastime in Trinidad and Tobago to “bad talk” persons. We hear of something which a person is alleged to have done and we add to it and spread it to others. In a very true way we heap shame upon them, yet the first reading of the Mass for this Sunday speaks to us of a God whose delight is to take away his peoples shame. The prophet Isaiah tells us in this first reading; “The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from every face; the reproach of his people he will remove from the whole earth; for the LORD has spoken.” If this is the attitude of the God whom we worship this has to be our attitude also. In fact the Gospel passage begins with the customary words of Jesus, “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to…”
It’s necessary to ask the physician to know about the best dosage cheapest viagra generic of the anti-impotence drug. You need to purchase levitra online frankkrauseautomotive.com practice exercises like weight lifting, jogging, walking and push-ups. It builds up in the arteries which hinders the blood to cheap levitra flow freely in the body. Hectic life has made buy viagra online http://frankkrauseautomotive.com/page/3/?s&post_type=cars_for_sale&car=1&stock&search_condition&search_make&search_year&search_model&search_dropdown_Min_price=0&search_dropdown_Max_price=0&search_dropdown_tran&s people suffering from a poor life, low mental health, and affected physical health. The story which we know very well is the story of a King giving a wedding feast for his son but the invited guests, the nobles and persons of high status refuse to go to the wedding, in fact they ignore the invitation, some go about their own business while others mistreat and kill the servants who were sent to call them to the wedding. Imagine the shame that that young man would have felt with no persons accepting the invitation to his wedding. A wedding feast without guests would have been unheard of. This refusal to attend the wedding was an affront to both the King and his son. The ensuing shame had to be removed. First, he sends troops to kill the murderers and burn their city. This, according to the norms of Middle Eastern antiquity evens the score and solidifies the king’s honor according to the rules of the honor and shame game. The King however does more than that. He sends his servants to fill the wedding hall with commoners. His son would not be shamed. His wedding would be filled with guests.
Looking at the story from our modern day view point, we will probably say that the King in killing the invited guests was not operating from a kingdom stance. The aim of the story is however to tell us that people of the Kingdom remove shame from others. They do not add to it.
This lesson we must apply to our own lives. Do we or do we not put shame on people whom we do not like? Do we as citizens of the Kingdom remove the causes of shame from others?
Our heroes in the faith, the saints spent their lives removing shame form others. When Mother Teresa formed her congregation to assist those dying on the streets in Calcutta, allowing them to die with dignity that is what she was doing. When saints dedicated their lives to educating the poor that is what they were doing. When today Christians and people of good will work to ensure that those suffering from HIV Aids live and die with dignity that is what they are doing. When Servol was started to help the disenfranchised youth of T&T, that is what was being done. As we thank God for those who dedicate their lives to taking away people’s shame, we must ask ourselves whether or not we occupy ourselves with that work when opportunities present themselves because that is what people of the Kingdom do.
Prayer
All powerful and ever-loving God, we have all made mistakes in life but so often we have not borne the consequences of those mistakes because You saw to it to take away our shame even before others were aware. We thank you Lord for that. Help us though, to be people of the Kingdom, persons who do all that is possible to prevent shame being heaped on others and who do all that is possible to remove shame when the opportunity arises. We ask this through the intercession of Mary our mother and Jesus your Son who took away our shame. Amen
