August 23, 2018

Gospel: Mt 22:1-14
Jesus continued speaking to them in parables: “This story throws light on the kingdom of heaven: A king gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to call the invited guests to the banquet, but the guests refused to come. Again, he sent other servants, instructing them to say to the invited guests, ‘I have prepared a banquet, slaughtered my fattened calves and other animals, and now, everything is ready. Come to the wedding!’ But they paid no attention and went away, some to their farms, and some to their work. Others seized the servants of the king, insulted them and killed them. The king was furious. He sent his troops to destroy those murderers and burn their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is prepared, but the invited guests were not worthy. Go instead to the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding feast.’ The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, good and bad alike, so that the hall was filled with guests. The king came in to see the wedding guests, and he noticed a man not wearing a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in without the wedding clothes?’ But the man remained silent. So the king said to his servants, ‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Reflections
For I will gather you from all the nations and bring you back to your own land.
Through Ezekiel, God promises to gather his scattered and exiled people and bring them back home to Israel. Interiorly, he vows to cleanse them of their defilement and, so as they might not stray again, replace their heart of stone with a heart of flesh. On our own, despite our knowledge of the good and our good intentions, we commit sin and cling to our evil ways. God promises to put his spirit within us so that through grace operating within us we might be faithful to him and his decrees. Love within us will empower us to love without.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2018