Three Dangerous things which destroy the Wedding Garment of a Christian

*Gospel Thoughts*

*28th Week : Sunday*

*GOSPEL Matthew 22:1-14*

*First Reading - Is 25:6-10*

*Second Reading - Phil 4:12-14, 19-20*

*Three Dangerous things which destroy the Wedding Garment of a Christian*

*1) The Rite of Baptism & The Clothing with the White Garment*

In the celebration of the sacrament of Baptism, there is a beautiful ceremony of clothing the child with White Garment

The celebrant says *"Robert, (Name) you have become a new creation, and have clothed yourself in Christ. See in this white garment the outward sign of your Christian dignity. With your family and Friends to help you by word and example, bring that dignity unstained into the everlasting life of heaven* 

Putting on Garment or wrapping the child with White garment means

 

Putting on Christ

Becoming like Christ 

Identification of Christ's mark on us 

We are protected by Christ 

We take shelter under the Mantle of Christ's image 

We hide in Christ himself 

*2) Wedding Garment and Wedding Banquet*

We come across in today's Gospel the issue of Wedding garment and wedding dinner 

One of the guests enters the wedding banquet with the wedding garment. 

When the king sees the guest without a wedding garment, the king orders the servants to *bind him hand and foot and throw him into outer darkness*

From this it is very clear that one can't enter the wedding banquet without the proper wedding Garment

*3) The Sacrament of Baptism gives this wedding garment to all Baptised*

None of us can blame saying that I don't have wedding garment or j have not been given the wedding garment

In the Sacrament of Baptism all of us were given this wedding garment 

This garment becomes one of the important things in the follower of Christ. 

It is like a armour of Christ which protects us. 

*4) Condition of our Wedding garment*

What has happened to the wedding garment which I had received during the sacrament of Baptism? 

Is it intact, clean and bright? 

Is it dirty with so many things and has lost its white color 

Is it in bad shape or condition? 

Have I ever washed it to make it clean and tidy 

Is it stinking? 

Is it already torn and having so many holes? 

Is it not fitting to my life? If so why? 

Have I lost this garment and today I miss it? 

Am I aware that there a wedding garment at all, which is needed for the celebration of the wedding? 

How do I see this wedding garment in my Life? 

*5) Three things which take away our wedding garments*

The Gospel of the day gives us the account of those things which take away the wedding garment in our life

*A) Greed for Property*

When the king invited the guests one of the rejected his invitation because he had to go Farm

This farm represents the aspect of property, food, and other material things 

The first guest shows that he was too much preoccupied with the farm and other related things of the Farm 

One of the powerful things which influences all the human beings is the property, food, and bodily pleasures 

These above things influence in our life soo much, they ultimately take away the wedding garment which we had received in the sacrament of Baptism

Therefore we need to be very careful so that we may not lose our wedding garment because of above mentioned things 

*B) The Second guest rejected the invitation because he had to attend his business*

Business here stands for making money and becoming rich 

So greed for money and riches came in the way of attending the wedding banquet, therefore he rejected the invitation of the King and went for doing his business

He didn't want the garment which the king gave because his greed for money and wealth did not allow him to think about the need to this garment

*For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1Timothy 6:10*

Greed for Money and wealth has the power to take away our wedding garment, which make us unable to enter the wedding feast

*C) Use of Force, Mistreatment and Killing*

The danger of the brutish nature of the Human beings 

These above things are done in order to subjugate others in order to enjoy the power, supremacy, luxurious life, to gain name and fame, and to achieve hidden agenda for ones selfish purpose 

This is the worst form of evil things one commits against another 

Because in this there blood stains, and such blood stains stick to ones wedding garment, which can't be easily removed 

So this is also another cruel way which takes away our God given garment and we become naked in front of God. With such nakedness one can't enter the wedding banquet or to the eternal life. 

*6) Where is My Garment?*

Is it still white? Or dirty? 

Which are the things in my life which make my wedding garment dirty or responsible for losing? 

May be I need to be very careful about these things which may result in losing my wedding garment 

Anger 

Jealousy

Revenge

Gossip

Laziness

Greed for various things 

Injustice

Falsehood

Un-forgiveness 

Duplicity

Hypocrisy

Cheating 

*7) Three important garments for a consecrated life*

Garment of Chastity

Garment of Poverty

Garment of Obedience

Along with this let us also try to put on the garments of Humility, simplicity, authenticity, sincerity, generosity etc 

*God bless you and your family. Praying for you and your dear ones*

*Fr Maxim Dsouza*

*Jeppu Seminary*

*Mangalore*