Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today our readings once again speak of the inclusive nature of God’s love. Isaiah, as so often, prophesies how God will feed all people, destroying the veil that separates them (Isaiah 25:6-10a). Jesus picks up the same theme as he speaks of how God, frustrated by the insularity of his chosen people, will seek out followers from anywhere, regardless of merit, to join his feast (Matthew 22:1-14).

And then we come to the odd, baffling, case of the guy who shows up inappropriately dressed for the event. What is the issue here? If he was just invited in from the street, why would he be expected to have a “wedding garment”? I think the answer to this puzzle may not lie in what he was wearing (or not) but in that, when challenged, “he was reduced to silence”. He had no explanation of why he was dressed as he was, no explanation for why he was there, no explanation to justify his presence.

We might imagine that our loving father, in scattering his love around in such a profligate fashion, is indifferent to those who receive it. But the reality is quite the opposite. Receiving such love as a free gift makes us responsible to recognize the gift we have received. We cannot pay for it, and that is not expected, but we can acknowledge what we have received.

Alternatively we could just assume we’ve been given something we deserve and fail to recognize the generosity of the giver. In that case we are certainly at risk of having the gift seized back. Isaiah tells us the appropriate response when “God wipes away the tears from every face” - we say:“This is the LORD for whom we looked; let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!”

Paul closes his letter to the church in Philippi (Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20) by reminding them “God will fully supply whatever you need, in accord with his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” and also models the appropriate response: “To our God and Father, glory forever and ever. Amen.”