Living our Faith in Truth and Not Just in Name
This week, Jesus gives us another parable to live our faith in action and not just in name.
In the parable of the wedding banquet (Mat 22:1-14) we see the king’s invitation is not honoured by many. Since those whom he invited rejected him, the king then opens the banquet to strangers and welcomes them. During the banquet he comes across a stranger without the wedding garment and has him thrown out.
Fr. Dom said that the above parable always reminds him of his experience on several occasions when he has made so much preparation and invited people to a feast or event but those invitees did not turn up. He said when the person does not turn up, it shows that they do not value the friendship or honour the invitation. So he has had to invite strangers to fill the space like the king.
Fr. Dom explained that the parable tells the story of salvation which is for all who wear the “wedding garment”. In Col 3:12, the wedding garment is described as compassionate hearts, kindness, humility,” and in Rev 19:8 it is the righteous, and those who live according to God’s ways. He said that the stranger without the garment remained silent when questioned by the King, because he refused to wear the garment despite being given one. Hence, all of us are invited but only those who put on Christ in their lives are saved. There is no room for those who do not want to repent and continue in their sinful ways.
We are called to be witnesses of Christ and yet as Christians many are disliked. Mahatma Gandhi after having had a painful experience in South Africa with the Apartheid system said “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ. And if Christians acted like Christ, the whole world would be Christian”. Many of us call ourselves Disciples of Christ and yet digress from the teachings of Christ when it does not suit us.
“There cannot be two parallel lives in the existence of the faithful: on the one hand, our so-called spiritual life, with its values and demands; and on the other, our so-called secular life, that is, life in a family, at work, in social relationships, in the responsibilities of public life, and in culture. Every area of our lives, as different as they are, enters into the plan of God, who desires that these very areas be the places where the love of Christ is revealed and realized for both the glory of the Father and service of others.” Pope John Paul II
We need to put on Christ in every aspect of our lives and if we are having trouble doing that, we may want to consider turning to Mary. Pope Benedict XVI quoted “with the rosary, we allow ourselves to be guided by Mary, model of faith. In meditating on the mysteries of Christ, and day after day we are helped to assimilate the Gospel , so that it shapes our lives.” – SR
While she holds your hand,
St Bernard of Clairvaux on Mother Mary
you cannot fall.