PRI Reflections on Scripture | Thursday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time

Join Msgr. Don Fischer as he reads and delivers a short reflection on today’s gospel, followed by 3 1/2 minutes of contemplative music and a closing prayer. Msgr. Don hopes that today’s reflection on the gospel will empower you to carry the Word in your heart throughout the day.

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Thursday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time
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Original Post Date: August 22, 2024
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Gospel
Matthew 22:1-14

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.”

Reflection

We continue the theme of things being not the way we think they are. This is a parable, not a real story. Symbolic. Those who think they are worthy, are set against those who are unworthy. And the worthy do not receive the kingdom, and the unworthy do. But the thing that's hard about this parable is the fact that when the unworthy are called, it's not that they're unworthy and therefore received, but they're a recognition that those that are unworthy are worthy.

And so what we see in this figure that seems unfairly treated by being thrown out because he didn't have a wedding garment on, it seems the wedding garment is about a transformation that when the unworthy are called by God to be partners with him, their life, their sense of self is completely changed and they're celebrating their connection with God with a beautiful wedding garment.

Closing Prayer

Father, over and over again we see you presenting things to us that are different than what we thought they were. Open our heart over and over again to every illusion, every half truth, every false teaching we have. And continue to purify us with truth. And we ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.

 
 

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