Homily for the Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

This year we have had an unusually large number of weddings in the parish.

When I say “unusually large”, it’s a relative term. So far whilst I have been

here we have averaged two a year, but this year, six couples booked their

weddings here, with five having taken place and one still to go. Next year

though looks like a return to normal, with just two so far. Then looking at

funerals, we seem to have had a sudden run – I celebrated two over the last two

weeks, and now two more have arrived.

Today’s first reading is a popular choice at funerals, but it’s all about a feast

that God has thrown for His People. The idea of a feast is one of the biblical

images of heaven – the sort of feast where everyone is rejoicing and happy,

rather than one where people are arguing or complaining about the food. So

the theme of people rejoicing in God’s banquet is why it’s one of the options

for a funeral.

In the Gospel, the idea is approached from a different angle – this time the king

is God the Father, who gives a wedding feast for His Son, but the people

originally called to the wedding feast, the Jews, are not interested. Just like last

week’s parable, once again the messengers represent the prophets, some of

whom end up getting killed. So as a result, God is going to offer His salvation

to the Gentiles, the non-Jews. But although they are invited, they have to

behave themselves. They need to change their behaviour, and make sure they

are wearing a wedding garment. This part of the parable might seem a bit

strange. Maybe in the culture of the time, it would have been seen as a sign of

deliberate disrespect not to come properly dressed to the wedding – the parable

assumes the person is at fault, rather than just being extremely poor.

In the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament, the idea of the

feast is taken further, with the idea of the Mass being the wedding feast of the

Lamb. In fact, the words the priest says just before Holy Communion is

derived both from St John the Baptist, who said, “Behold, the Lamb of God

who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), and also the Book of

Revelation, 19:9, where it says, “Blessed are those who are invited to the

marriage supper of the Lamb”. But if you turn up for Sunday Mass without

dressing as though you are going to a wedding, you’re not going to be turfed

out. The parable isn’t about that kind of literal interpretation.

What it does mean, is that to follow Christ is not about being a Catholic on

Sunday, but just the same as anyone else the rest of the week. Faith has to be

put into action. We are to shine like bright stars in the world, like the lamp put

on a stand so it brings light to everyone, rather than being hidden under a tub,

where it will go out. It means we have to both believe, and follow, Christ. It

means that being a Catholic is not an automatic ticket to heaven. Those to

whom more is given, more is expected. It’s also why the Catholic Church is a

bit more fussy than some of the other denominations as to who receives Holy

Communion. To receive the Lord requires being baptised, and being part of the

Catholic Church, both in terms of your beliefs and how you live your life. So

because our beliefs are closer to the Orthodox than they are to the Protestants, it

means that the Orthodox are actually allowed to receive the sacraments of the

Eucharist, anointing of the sick and confession from a Catholic priest, although

obviously they have to follow the discipline of their own Church as well. In

my last parish, part of the upstairs of the parish centre was set out permanently

as an Ethiopian Orthodox chapel, and during Covid one of the members of their

congregation ended up seriously ill in hospital. I spoke to one of their

community leaders, and he said that because their priest was unable to visit this

person in hospital, he said it would be acceptable that I should go instead, so he

was able to receive the sacrament of the sick from a Catholic priest. He later

on died, but it meant that he had been able to receive that sacrament when the

Covid restrictions made it near impossible for his own priest to visit.

It’s worth also noting that, as long as they agree, we can receive the sacraments

of confession, Holy Communion and the anointing of the sick from Orthodox

priests if we’re in a situation where it’s not possible to receive them from a

Catholic priest, e.g. on holiday where the nearest Catholic church is two

hundred miles away, or if we’re dying in a hospital abroad where there are

Orthodox but not Catholic priests around. But we can’t receive these from

Protestant ministers, both because they generally don’t have the same beliefs as

us about these sacraments, and also because they are considered not to be

validly ordained.

“Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb.” Christ

invites us. It’s for us to respond.

Curious about exploring things further?  If you would like to ask further questions about the topics raised in these homilies (or maybe think it wasn’t explained too well!), please feel free to e-mail Fr Michael at stjoseph.thame@rcaob.org.uk