DAILY- HOMILY

18 August 2016

Thursday, 20th Week in Ordinary Time

St. Alberto Hurtado Cruchaga, Priest  

Memorial.      White.              

Ez 36:23 – 28 / Mt 22:1 – 14

St. Alberto Hurtado Cruchaga (1901 – 1952), born in Chile, was a Jesuit priest who devoted his life to teaching, help for the poor and children.

From the Gospel Reading: Mt 22:1 - 14 

Jesus went on speaking to them in parables: "This story throws light on the kingdom of heaven.  A king celebrated the wedding of his son.  He sent his servants to call the invited guests to the wedding feast, but the guests refused to come.

"Again he sent other servants ordering them to say to the invited guests: 'I have prepared a banquet, slaughtered my fattened calves and other animals, and now everything is ready; come then, to the wedding feast.  But they paid no attention and went away . . .

"The king became very angry.  He sent his troops to destroy those murderers and burn their city.  Then he said to his servants: 'The wedding banquet is prepared, but the invited guests were not worthy. Go, then, to the crossroads and invite everyone you find to the wedding feast.'

The servants went out at once into the streets and gathered everyone they found, good and bad alike, so that the hall was filled with guests.

The king came in to see those who were at table, and he noticed a man not wearing the festal garment. So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in without the wedding garment?'  But the man remained silent. So the king said to his servants: 'Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the dark where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.'  Know that many are called, but few are chosen."  

Reflection

In the parable of today's Gospel reading, we see God calling all to be with him at his heavenly feast.  God offers to all his unconditional love and mercy but some turn down his invitation, like the many guests first invited to the wedding feast of the king's son in the parable.

God makes use of different ways to invite us to union with him but some choose to ignore him or turn deaf ears or blind eyes to the truth of God's message and invitations.  Instead they choose to rationalize their faults and shortcomings and choose only what they wish to believe.  They fall into the temptation to be self-righteous, utterly forgetting that as creatures we need God in our lives. Even worse, many fall into sin and move further from God's love.

We must remain open to God's invitations and grace. He patiently awaits our response, always respecting the freedom he has given us.  We hope we have the wisdom and grace to respond to his calls.

WE PRAY FOR MTQ DAILY PRAYER DIARY INTENTIONS:

BIRTHDAY

     Valerie Liao

     Jason Santos

     Jeannie Campo-Cruz

OTHER INTENTIONS

     For the successful surgery and full recovery of Yan Yan

Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers and for those who need our prayers the most. 

Have a good day!

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