In today’s Gospel, Jesus gives us the parable where the kingdom of heaven is likened to wedding feast. A king sends servants out twice to those who were invited to his son’s feast but they ignored him and killed his servants.
The chosen people are widely interpreted to be the Jewish people whom many prophets have been sent to deliver God’s message.
And it highlights God’s immense mercy by asking the chosen people a second time even though the people ignored Him the first time round. After the second invite though, he then sends his troops to destroy the murderers.
This is the first point to note about punishment being meted out.
Subsequently, the king sent his servants to invite anyone out in the streets which represents all of humanity.
They come to attend the wedding but the king noticed one of them not in their wedding best, and throws him out into “the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth”.
This is the second point where punishment is being meted out. And this represents the idea of those who do not make it into the kingdom of heaven, that there is a darker place – hell.
There are many Christian denominations out there who preach some form of “as long as you believe in Jesus, and declare him as King, or if you are baptised, you will go to heaven.”
This is clearly a fallacy as Jesus himself told this parable. Its not some interpretation by some biblical scholar or what-not. It’s pretty clear.
So what is this white wedding garment that we should don to get into the kingdom of heaven?
The homilist suggest that we put on the garment of Christ.
To love God and serve others. To be Christ to others.
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