Daily Gospel Reflection
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August 22, 2024
Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and the elders of the people in parables
saying, “The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who gave a wedding feast for his son.
He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast,
but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants, saying,
‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet,
my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast.”‘
Some ignored the invitation and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business.
The rest laid hold of his servants,
mistreated them, and killed them.
The king was enraged and sent his troops,
destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
Then the king said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready,
but those who were invited were not worthy to come.
Go out, therefore, into the main roads
and invite to the feast whomever you find.’
The servants went out into the streets
and gathered all they found, bad and good alike,
and the hall was filled with guests.
But when the king came in to meet the guests
he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.
He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it
that you came in here without a wedding garment?’
But he was reduced to silence.
Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet,
and cast him into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’
Many are invited, but few are chosen.”
God invites all of us to the kingdom of heaven, but we must let that invitation radically transform our lives. Honestly, this terrifies me. As someone who deals with OCD and perfectionism, I live in fear of the consequences of imperfection, even though I know it is an inevitable part of the human experience. I feel as though to have a relationship with Jesus, I have to be completely pure, sinless, and perfect, just like the Blessed Mother, my namesake. It is intimidating to know that I am sinful, messy, and broken, and I live in fear that I am the worst of all Christ’s people. However, the gospel today reminds me that that is simply untrue.
In my first reading of this passage, the king seemed ruthless, vengeful, and demanding perfection from the banquet guests. First, he destroyed the city of the guests who murdered his servants, and then he exiled the man who wasn’t wearing wedding clothes. Could this be the God whose fountain of mercy is overflowing?
However, after reflecting on the parable, I realized that this is not a story about mercy versus judgment but about allowing the grace of God and his generous invitation to the kingdom to transform our lives. The king invites everyone to his banquet, regardless of who they are or what they have done. He speaks gently to the man without a wedding garment, calling him friend, but the man has no response. He did not take up the mantle of holiness and allow the king’s mercy to transform him.
I see myself in the character of the man without a wedding garment. I remain silent when I should be responding with a resounding yes to Christ’s offer. God does not demand perfection—instead, he gently invites us to come and allow him to transform our lives. It isn’t easy, but our willingness to change delights God and can only lead to more truth, goodness, and beauty in our lives.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, you have sent prophets, apostles, and your only begotten Son to proclaim the coming of your kingdom. We have often hardened our hearts, refusing to heed your countless invitations. We have mistreated your servants, and, by our sins, we are guilty of nailing your Son to the cross. In your loving mercy, forgive our sins. Give us the grace to maintain the purity of our baptism and to faithfully live out our baptismal vocation to a life of holiness so that we may one day share in the banquet of your kingdom, where you live and reign forever and ever. Amen.
Saint of the Day
With this feast day the Church proclaims that Mary is Queen of Heaven because she so closely collaborated with Christ in the plan of salvation.
We call Jesus “Lord” and celebrate the feast of Christ the King in November, all the while recalling that his kingship is defined by his willingness to lay down his life for us. This model of leadership through service was taken up perfectly by Mary.
Mary laid down her life for us as well—she set herself aside when she said “yes” to God’s invitation to bear Jesus into the world. From that moment on, she remained close to Jesus, walking with him for every step of his earthly journey—including his ministry, suffering, and death. This closeness is depicted in an image in the Cavanaugh Hall chapel—Mary contemplates a crown of thorns while holding the infant Jesus.
This is why we revere Mary as Queen—we recognize her special place in the plan of salvation, while recalling that her queenship is really a participation in the lordship of Jesus. This is our calling as well—to conform ourselves to Christ by laying down our lives as Mary did.
This feast falls a week after the feast of Mary’s Assumption because major feasts in the Church are celebrated for a period of eight days (known as an “octave”). Mary’s coronation as Queen of Heaven is imagined in several scenes in the Basilica and in chapels across campus. The reliquary in the Basilica contains a fragment of Mary’s veil.
Mary, Queen of Heaven, you laid down your life with Christ, pray for us!