28th Sunday, Year A: Reflection by Fr. Julian Ekeh

Theme: FACE TO FACE WITH THE UNEXPECTED

(Matthew 22:1–14)

The Ben Johnson way was spotted out in the Gospel of today. Jesus compared the kingdom of God to a king who gave a marriage feast for his son. He sent his sons to call those invited for the marriage feast, but they would not come. He advertised all the menu prepared but they turned the invitation down. This is annoying!

Imagine yourself as a mother. After preparing your child’s favourite meal for him, he rejects your food but chooses to enjoy junks elsewhere.

Well, the king, after ordering for the destruction of those who dishonoured him, gave an open invitation for as many as who wanted to partake in the feast. And so, the wedding hall was filled with guests.

DIVINE OBSERVATION AND EXPECTATION

People who host events make out time to go around and greet their guests, to exchange pleasantries with those who honoured the invitation. God looks around, He looks into the group, He comes to have a personal touch with all those called by His name. He comes to admire you. He comes to appreciate His image in you. He wants to single you out and be proud of you like Job. He wants to announce to the world how special you are. He wants the angels and men to sing the praise of your commitment to His will. It is his will that you be in the state of grace always. He wants to see you shining and glowing in light, living like the child of light that you are. The king looked around, continued to look around, and…

THE UNEXPECTED HAPPENED

He saw a man who had no wedding garment. This was a great shock to Him. This was an insult to Him. These are the lowliest of men who should realize the exalted position of the king and their unworthiness to be part of the feast, who should put themselves together in order to appear before the king. The others have theirs. Could it be that the king also made available the wears to them or informed them of the common garment for the occasion? Yes.

Then God wonders what was the issue. Did he sell the garment? Did he exchange it? Did he stain it? Why appearing without the garment?

The king asked him: Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment? And he was speechless. He had the intention to deceive. He wanted to fool the king. He chose the Ben Johnson way. He was punished for it. You will certainly be held accountable for playing God and dribbling the people of God. You will not always succeed in meandering. God is still God. Yes, you will be speechless because you never believed in the day of reckoning.

TAKEHOME QUESTIONS

Why rig yourself into a position that is not yours?

How did you enter that office?

How did you make your way into that man/woman’s heart?

How did you obtain that ticket? How did you get that admission? How did you get that promotion? How did you win that contract? How did you get that so-called good job?

Painful Truth

You will get out the way you entered. You will be humiliated if you fail to do the needful. You will lose the kingdom of God if you do not enter it by the way of life Jesus expects from you.

You may deceive humans but not God. You can’t hide from God; “Ipughi izonari ya Chineke

Mgbe I na ekpuchi mmehie gi, chee na o dighi onye na ahu gi, I pughi izonari ya Chineke.”

Because “Chineke mazuru, Dinwenu mazuru, o dighi ihe gbara ya gharii n’ezie, Chineke mazuru.”

SOLUTION: GET YOUR GARMENT

During our baptism we received the white garment. It is a very symbolic act. We are called to be transparent, pure and holy. We are called to be undefiled. We were clothed with that garment to continue maintaining it and putting it on. But when we fall we heed the voice of God and clothe ourselves still with it through reconciliation.

In as much as the gate of heaven has been opened for us through the death and resurrection of Christ which we share in through our baptism, we should endeavour not to misuse the opportunity we have received.

We should guard against the questions that will keep us dumbfounded when we stand face to face with our heavenly king.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

LET US PRAY

We pray You Lord God to save us from hidden faults and eternal shock of being thrown out from Your sight because of filth and corruption. Grant that we may not take Your invitation to holiness for granted through Christ our Lord. Amen

Happy Sunday (28th Week, Ordinary Time, Yr A)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh