« The kingdom of heaven is like a king who celebrated the marriage of his son. » The nuptial dimension of the Kingdom is here clearly shown. The nuptial union between God and his people announced in the First Covenant, is accomplished by the coming into this world of our Lord Jesus Christ: « Can the bridegroom’s companions mourn while the bridegroom is with them? « (Mt 9: 14)

The drama of the parable is evident when we consider the response (better, the non response !) to the call of the king of those who were invited to the wedding of his son. We see indifference and unwillingness to the invitation of King: Some of them did not want to come; others have considered that they had more important business to attend to, who his field, who his business … there have been even those who mistreated and killed the servants sent by the king, manifesting violently their fundamental rejection to his appeal.

Perhaps, we could consider ourselves safe from any challenge about this story, but we have to pay attention. When we continue to read the story, we see that the king sends his servants to gather all those they could meet on their way. The reference to the Church, as a comunity in which we are all invited, « bad and good alike » is evident.

Here, something most important must be noticed: « The king came in to see the guests. He saw a man who was not wearing a wedding garment, and said, : my friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ This one kept silence. Why ? It was a cultural practice in the middle east, to provide to those who were invited, wedding garment. This one has not taken what was provided ! That the reason why he remained silent !
What about us ? Baptized, we are all invited without any merit on our part in the banquet of the Kingdom. In the church, everything is provided so as we could worthily participate to the Feast : Sacraments, Word of God, Catechesis, various advices from one to another… But, the question is: are we aware that we must also convert our hearts, change clothes, permanently leave our old clothes to put on the garment of the new conversion, faith, grace ?

Certainly, we have been redeemed, but, we must know that belonging passively to the Church is not enough to be saved. It is also necessary to live according to the baptismal promises we have pronounced.

May we always, o Lord take more seriously and with thanksgiving the wonderful gift of eternal life you have given us the day of our baptism. It will be for us the best way to prepare for partaking a day in a definitive way your heavenly banquet. Amen.