My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?

23 AUGUST (Mt 22,1-14)

Whoever believes in God must wear the same dress God does. The dress of God is all justice, mercy, piety, compassion, love for the truth, and zeal for the greater good. We must be in the image and likeness of God inside and outside, in body and spirit, alone and with others, in the deserts and cities.

“If you strive after justice you will attain it, and put it on like a splendid robe” (Sir 27.8). Jerusalem, take off your robe of mourning and misery; put on the splendor of glory from God forever: Wrapped in the cloak of justice from God, bear on your head the mitre that displays the glory of the eternal name. For God will show all the earth your splendor: you will be named by God forever the peace of justice, the glory of God’s worship”” (Bar 5,1-4). “He put on justice as his breastplate, salvation, as the helmet on his head; He clothed himself with garments of vengeance, wrapped himself in a mantle of zeal” (Is 59.17). “But the just live forever, and in the Lord is their recompense, and the thought of them is with the Most High. Therefore shall they receive the splendid crown, the beauteous diadem, from the hand of the Lord – For he shall shelter them with his right hand, and protect them with his arm. He shall take his zeal for armor and he shall arm creation to requite the enemy; He shall don justice for a breastplate and shall wear sure judgment for a helmet; He shall take invincible rectitude as a shield and whet his sudden anger for a sword, And the universe shall war with him against the foolhardy” (Is 59.17).

To St. Paul the dress of a Christian is the same of Jesus the Lord. The Christian is in the image and likeness of Jesus in everything. Here is how he sees the dress of Christ that a Christian must wear. It is a particular dress. The dress of the soldier of the Gospel. A stupendous dress with must never be taken off either at night or by day.

Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. So stand fast with your loins girded in truth, clothed with righteousness as a breastplate, and your feet shod in readiness for the gospel of peace. In all circumstances, hold faith as a shield, to quench all (the) flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and supplication, pray at every opportunity in the Spirit. To that end, be watchful with all perseverance and supplication for all the holy ones and also for me, that speech may be given me to open my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel for which I am an ambassador in chains, so that I may have the courage to speak as I must. (Eph 6,13-20).

The Parable of today wants those who accept the invitation and go to the wedding of the Son of the King, wear a wedding garment of evangelical light, made of truth and grace.

Jesus again in reply spoke to them 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 he 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, 5 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.”

You cannot get in a room of light, love, truth, beauty in a robe of darkness, hatred, falsehood, deceit, malice, wickedness, injustice, slander, evil desire, unclean thoughts, hands dripping with blood, and lascivious glances. We are called to wear the white robes of purity of heart and mind, of holiness of body and spirit.
Virgin Mary, Mother of the Redemption, Angels, Saints give us this garment of holiness.