Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost; Holy Priest-Martyr Anthimus, Bishop of Nicomedia (303); Our Venerable Father Theoctistus, Fellow-Ascetic of the Great Euthymius (467).
2 Corinthians 1:21-2:4; Matthew 22:1-14.
Read Matthew 22:1-14
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
God has the heathiest personal boundaries of anyone. He is open to a relationship of love with each person, but He will never stop being holy to accommodate that relationship.
In last Sunday’s gospel reading, Jesus addressed a parable to the Pharisees regarding their failed spiritual leadership. In today’s reading, Jesus addresses the people who failed to be led.
In each parable servants are sent twice to those being addressed. This is a parallel to God sending prophet after prophet in His long-suffering relationship with Israel. In each case the people’s response went from bad to worse. To the Pharisees Jesus said that a new spiritual leadership would be built around Himself as the cornerstone. To the people He said that the invitation any rejected would be extended to others.
But there remains a God-given basis which makes it possible for people who sin to be in relationship with God who is holy. Though Jesus portrays the kingdom of heaven as God’s lavish invitation to one-and-all after some previously invited rejected the invitation, He still maintains a means whereby we will be received at the banquet. Everyone is invited but we can’t just waltz in like we are entitled. All guests must put on the host-provided “wedding garment”.
Israel had temple worship as a means of approach to God. What do we have?
In his Letter to the Galatians, St. Paul writes, “As many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek…you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.” But we must keep our garment on. In his Letter to the Romans, Paul also writes, “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its desires.”