How To Avoid Expulsion 如何保住一席位？

Twenty-Eighth Ordinary Sunday, Year A
Theme: How To Avoid Expulsion 如何保住一席位？

I am sure most people on earth paid most of their attention on the conflict between Israel and Hamas during the past week. Many were caught unprepared and were shocked hearing the unsubstantiated atrocities on civilians, in particular on children. Some of them quickly think of the imminence of the end of the world in their flight of fantasies and post them on Youtube. Is the end of the world just around the corner? God knows (Mark 13:32)! In fact, they are not alone in imbuing their minds with such fantasies. Even the spokesmen of God sometimes did similar things, with a difference.

The first reading today is taken from one of the many series of oracles in the book of Isaiah, known as the Apocalypse of Isaiah, chapters 24-27, which biblical scholars believe reflect the situation of the southern Judah Kingdom during the 8^th century B.C. Isaiah 24 paints a gruesome end-of-the-world scene. But readers need not be gloomy because a proper understanding of end time prophecies should also include what follows the catastrophes leading to the end. Today, we read of the joy and peace after the destruction of many, both the righteous as well as the wicked.

Before we delve into details, may I remind you of God’s style of revelation. To cater for our lack of intelligence and understanding, God starts vaguely and makes His messages clearer and clearer in steps. For example, the Lord God promised to make Abraham a great nation (Genesis 12:2a) when he did not even have a son! Later, the Lord God made His promise clearer, “I will make your descendants like the dust of the earth” (13:16). Then the Lord God made His promise even clearer. He took Abraham outside his tent and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars, if you can. Just so will your descendants be” (15:5). To give more substance to His pledge, the Lord God made a covenant with Abraham (15:9-17). But a nation with a large population is not necessarily a great nation. Finally, the Lord God promised that kings would stem from him and his wife Sarah (17:6, 16). Perhaps God intends “the great nation” to be something even bigger and revelation does not stop there. Who knows? Therefore, don’t expect the Lord God to be very specific in details about the end of the world. He will surely remain vague for a long time to come. Moreover, it is stupid of you Christians to lift a single verse out of context to prove your point. You do not respect the Lord your God when you do not follow His way of doing things. Quote more fully and extensively when you want to prove your knowledge of the Bible.

Prophets speak in poetry. Therefore, the language is vague and laced with symbols. For example, the first line of the first reading today reads, “On this mountain the Lord of hosts will provide for all peoples” (Isaiah 25:6a). “This mountain” refers to Mount Zion which is, in itself, a symbol of the kingdom of heaven. Catholics interpret “Mount Zion” to mean the Catholic Church which is catholic in admitting all peoples into her fold. Though some clergy are harsh and traditional in outlook, others are more liberal and merciful. Thus, we should expect meeting a mix of both fervent and non-practising parishioners in the Church. But the kingdom of heaven symbolizes even bigger things as well. It can also refer to the blissful life in the Paradise. Narrated in decorative symbolic language, the Lord God throws a banquet of “rich food and choice wines” (25:6b).

Further down, we meet yet another symbol. The oracle continues, “On this mountain He will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, the web that is woven over all nations” (25:7). Here, the veil cannot be any ordinary face masks we put on these days. It must be something big enough to cover all peoples! Knowing that poetry employs “repetition” as one of its many techniques and if we cannot figure out the meaning of a symbol immediately, read on! The poet will further embellish his point until the readers understand. In fact, the very next verse gives the answer, “He will destroy death forever” (25:8a). “Veil” and “web” symbolize different aspects of “death”. There is yet another beautiful image which appears again in the last book of the Bible, “The Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces” (25:8b). Christians, you should not feel gloomy reading news about the end of the world and mislead people on Youtube. You should welcome and embrace such news because you are supposed to be able to see what lies beyond death! Otherwise, I doubt very much whether you’ll NOT be kicked out even if you were baptized in the name of the Blessed Trinity.

The gospel passages in the past few weeks are related and heading towards an end, the Last Judgment! In the parable of the Workers in the Vineyard on the 25^th Sunday, at the end of the day, the landowner paid the workers. The smell of Apocalypse was not obvious but is definitely there: reward at the end [of the world]. In the parable of Two Sons on the 26th Sunday, a judgment is passed. The smell of Apocalypse was stronger. It was even stronger in the parable of Wicked Tenants last Sunday. Not only a judgment was passed but a sentence was also mentioned. Today in the Parable of the Wedding Feast, we hear of “The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city” (Matthew 22:7) and “Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth” (22:13). A total of two punishments are mentioned for two different groups of people! Obviously, the wicked are and should be destroyed and sentenced to hell after death! The Judgment Day is revealed gradually. It is definite and not a metaphor. Such is the signature of God’s modus operandi!

The Israelites/Jews were those invited first. They were the Chosen People who had entered into a covenant with the Lord God. By the merit of Abraham, their ancestor, they have secured their advantage over all other peoples on earth. Yet, some ignored the guarantee/covenant. Some were annoyed by the prophets whom the Lord God sent to remind them. They murdered the messengers who carried the reconciliation message! Thus, they deserved to suffer under the Assyrians, Babylonians, Greeks and finally the Romans. Notice that the Lord God had only “destroyed” the murderers, but not those who ignored the invitation. Moreover, He had not “annihilated” the murderers “For I find no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies --- oracle of the Lord God. Turn back and live!” (Ezekiel 18:32) Jews continue to wait for their Messiah up to this day!

What about us Gentiles, who were invited after the first batch had failed to respond? Again, don’t be self-righteous and eager to see the wicked punished! Be humble and ask ourselves where you have laid your “wedding garment” around! Remember, if you do not put on your wedding garment, you show no respect to the host and deserve punishment! Yes, God invites you to salvation and you have responded positively. You acknowledge Jesus Christ to be your Saviour and were baptized and admitted into the Church which embraces “bad and good alike” (22:10a). Of course, you congratulate yourselves because unlike other sinners who ignore God’s invitation and some who even do a lot of evil things, you enter the Church and practise your faith regularly praying, going to mass, receiving sacraments and studying the Bible etc. Are you sure you are one of the justified ones as well? Or are you sure you do not become bad later in your life before the king comes to inspect? Are you certain that “your good work” mentioned above is the “wedding garment” God demands? Of course, I am in no position to pass judgment on your “wedding garment”. The Lord God is. I am only an annoying servant going around to remind people who care to listen.

In order to prevent you from claiming ignorance, I would like to quote the second reading for your sake. Paul wrote to the Philippians who had supported his missions abundantly. Throughout his mission, Paul had his days of abundance and of scarcity, of being well fed and of going hungry, of successes and of failures (Philippians 4:12). I was touched by his words to the Philippians, “It was kind of you to share in my distress” (4:14). Christians, here is your wedding garment, viz. sharing the distress of the people you meet, namely the rich, the homeless, the sick, the imprisoned, the ignorant and what not. In doing so, we follow Christ’s new commandment, “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you should love one another” (John 13:34). Note that it is not something only Christians can do. Everyone has the capability to love one another. The Lord God is fair to everyone, the good as well as the wicked, the baptized and the unbaptized! Christians have the only advantage of knowing this commandment before the unbaptized.

Beloved brethren! The Lord God is merciful. Even when He punished Cain for murdering Abel, He protected him from being killed by people he happened to meet (Genesis 4:15). The famous Shepherd Psalm we sing in the Responsorial Psalm today is consoling even to the wicked, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me” (Psalms 23:4). What can prevent God from accompanying the condemned in hell? Christians, have no fear to share the distress of your neighbour. Even in your failures, the merciful Lord God will accompany you in the darkness you will be in! Will you make good use of the advantage of your knowledge to prevent yourselves from being thrown to the darkness outside?
God bless!

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2020 Reflection
Picture Credit: joyintruth.com