THURSDAY AUGUST 22, 2024
THURSDAY OF THE TWENTIETH WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME B
QUEENSHIP OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY (MEMORIAL)
Ezekiel 36:23-28
Matthew 22: 1-14
GOD’S INVITATION AND MAN’S RESPONSE
Many times we hear in our hearts the invitation of God to come follow him, to live righteously, to love tenderly, to obey his precepts, to abide in him and walk with him. How have we responded to all these invitations in our hearts? Do we positively and wholly yield? Or we yield half heartedly? Or we reject and even oppose it entirely? We need to reflect today on our response to God’s invitations to live with him, to act in him, to abide in him, to live out the virtues he point out to us.
The prophet Ezekiel recalls the promises of our God for us. The promise of a life of grace, the promise of being cleansed from sins and iniquities, the promises of prosperity and unending glory in God. It was God’s promises as revealed to the Israelites after the exiles. And God wishes to reestablish us back to union with him, forgiving us our sins and adopting us as his own people for ever.
In Jesus we find these promises accomplished in the death and resurrection of Jesus. And by these events of Christ death and victory over death, man was redeemer, saved and invited to a new life. It is therefore by grace not so much by our merit.
Remember, Jesus was addressing today’s gospel parable to the chief priests and the elders of the people. He talks of how God extended this invitation to them. But because they turned it down and even killed the son of God, then God shifted by inviting all those who are willing.
But the willing and those who accept this invitation must also be those who must wear, and be clothed in the garment expected at the wedding feast. Meaning that acceptance to the invitation of God makes one to prepare well, and be modelled to the status of a person invited to the wedding feast.
Our invitation to Christ imposes on us a moral obligation, a lifestyle, a code of conduct, a rule and a commitment and standard of living to follow. We are expected to wear a wedding garment without which one finds himself or herself in a situation of suffering and darkness.
So, God’s invitation to follow him must be equally responded with a reciprocal attendant to the demands of the call. Let us never live as if we have no other obligations. Even though it is a life of grace not of merit yet our life must show certain commitment and discipline.
Heavenly Father, we are grateful for inviting us to a life of grace. You forgave our many sins, and clothed us in glory. May your name be blessed. Lord, watch over us, even as we respond to your call, make our lives better in you, may we wear the right garment, be accepted, favoured and filled with your spirit. May we bear the fruits of love, genuine peace, progress in all our endeavours and attain success in life struggles through Christ our Lord.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
