THE ‘WHY AND WHAT’ IN THE GOSPEL OF THE 28^TH SUNDAY

Part 2.

With great certainty we can say that all the Jewish hearers understood Jesus’ figures and symbols; it was part and parcel of their life and culture.

But how does the message arrive to non-Jewish believers, including us? According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church we find that grace is given to all to get to the knowledge of the Truth, irrespective of the colour, race and region. So the first invitation is sent by God.

We are given all possible help through the Church and the Sacraments … and some believe that the dress offered by the king (God) is the soul, the self-same breath of God which we are bound to surrender at the end of our sojourn on earth. We have to return that dress, clean and bright as it was given to us on the moment of conception. SO, we do have to take good care of it.

The feasting usually lasted for one whole week, for seven days. Now seven is the perfect number and for us signifies eternity. But we have to strive hard to join the ‘wedding feast’. If we do not follow Jesus in changing our life to be an example of love, of mercy, of forgiveness and compassion we will be risking our destruction, just as the Jews did with their hard-hardedness … the destruction of Jerusalem, including the Temple.

The door of the king’s palace was open, a welcome to all passers-by, including sinners. Bur once the sinner enters, he is expected to change his life, to change into the wedding dress, in other words to repent, otherwise,  he will be thrown out. Our presence in church, even regularly,  does not automatically qualify us to go to the ‘wedding feast’ to heaven. We have to work our way in.

Finally we have not declared whose feast this is. A marriage is a union of two hearts. This was the marriage feast celebrating the union of the ‘divine nature to the human nature’ That is why it’s called the ‘Lamb’s Supper’. This came about when Mary of Nazareth said: “Be it done unto me according to Your will”, in other words the ‘Annunciation’.