THURSDAY 20TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR II
Ezekiel 36:23-28, Matthew 22:1-14
WHAT IS YOUR EXCUSE?
Many of us have a high sense of importance that we think that things will not move forward if we are not involved. If we look clearly into out lives, we will discover that the saying that no one is indispensable is true. The Jews had a very high sense of themselves, with the thought that they are the chosen people of God. They were the first to be invited to the heavenly feast, but they refused to go, they gave various excuses. God in turn has opened the gate of heaven to everyone to come in. Through Jesus, we have all become the adopted children of God and we all are candidates of heaven. Nevertheless, heaven though free, is not given on a platter of gold, it is earned. We have to be ready to wear the heavenly garment of holiness, purity and a good life. If we are not prepared for heaven, we will be cast out into the dark.
This is also the message of the prophet Ezekiel in the first reading of today. God has promised that he will gather to himself all his children from all the corners of the earth. They will observe his laws and obey his commandments. He will put his Spirit in us and remove the stubborn hearts from us, giving us a heart of flesh. Let us all respond to the heavenly invitation of Jesus, but we must wear the garment of holiness to meet him.
St Bernard whom we celebrate today wore his garment to honour the invitation of Jesus. He saw the materialistic nature of the world and even some of the monks that he opened a monastery in Clairvaux. His cistercian order grew rapidly ,and as their abbot until his death, he was able to return them to the initial spirit of monastic life.
God help us to always wear our garmen of holiness. Amen.
Fr Michael Osatofoh Eninlejie MSP
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