God's invites us into an unshakeable space of grace,

God holds nothing back from those who seek Him,

offering total access to His heart and mind through love.

“The hope of ...Well-Watered WomenRejoicing in God's Presence.
 

 ＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊    

 Ezekiel 36:23-28

I will make known

The holiness of my great name, profaned among the nations because of you;

and they will know that I am Yahweh, when I show them my holiness among you.

For I will gather you from all the nations and bring you back to your own land.

Then I shall pour pure water over you and you shall be made clean – cleansed

from the defilement of all your idols. I shall give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you.

I shall remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

I shall put my spirit within you and move you to follow my decrees and keep my laws.

You will live in the land I gave your ancestors; you shall be my people and I will be your God.

 

Ps 51:12-13, 14-15, 18-19

 I will pour clean water on you and wash away all your sins.

 

＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊      

Matthew 22:1-14

Jesus continued speaking to them in parables: "This story throws light on

the kingdom of heaven: A king gave a wedding banquet for his son.

He sent his servants to call the invited guests to the banquet,

but the guests refused to come.

Again, he sent other servants, instructing them to say to the invited guests,

'I have prepared a banquet, slaughtered my fattened calves and other animals,

and now, everything is ready. Come to the wedding!' But they paid no attention and went away,

some to their farms, and some to their work. Others seized the servants of the king,

insulted them and killed them.

 

The king was furious. He sent his troops to destroy those murderers and burn their city.

Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is prepared, but the invited guests

were not worthy. Go instead to the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding feast.

The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, good and bad alike,

so that the hall was filled with guests. The king came in to see the wedding guests,

 

and he noticed a man not wearing a wedding garment. So he said to him, '

Friend, how did you get in without the wedding clothes?' But the man remained silent.

So the king said to his servants, 'Bind his hands and feet and throw

him into the outer darkness, where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

 

Gospel Reflection ：

The joy and hope of God's openness.

The gospel presents the parable of the wedding banquet, where a king extends his invitation to many

but finds that it is repeatedly rejected. This is a poignant reminder of humanity's tendency

to dismiss God's gracious call to salvation. The king's persistence exemplifies God's patience

and desire for all to partake in His kingdom, yet some still opt for worldly distractions over His divine feast.

This rejection highlights the tragedy of undervaluing the priceless grace of God.

 

Yet, the parable also reveals the joy and hope of God's openness. When the invited guests refuse,

the invitation is extended to everyone, symbolizing the inclusivity of God's grace. However,

the warning about the guest without a wedding garment emphasizes the importance of being prepared,

of clothing ourselves with faith, humility, and righteous living.

This passage calls us to examine our hearts. Are we ready to receive God's grace

and respond to His invitation with urgency and gratitude? Let us not take His offer lightly,

but come prepared, rejoicing in His gift of salvation.