Memorial of Saint Bernard, Abbot and Doctor of the Church

The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. He said to him, “My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?”

After being rejected by his first set of guests and then destroying them for their sin against him, the king sends his servants out to bring in whomever they find—bad and good alike. So then, why does the king single out this guest without a wedding garment? It is because he has come to the feast unprepared to celebrate it properly and show respect for the king. The guest could have taken some time to find proper clothing as all of the other guests did. In a similar manner, we all are invited to the heavenly banquet. We are offered a seat at the table with Christ. However, it is not enough for us to simply accept the invitation to faith. We must also allow the invitation to transform us into proper guests at God’s banquet, who put our faith into action. By seeking God’s forgiveness and loving our neighbor as God loves them, we are clothed in the graces of salvation and made worthy of the heavenly banquet.

How do we respond when God invites us to do something in our lives? Do we accept his invitation or deny it? How do we put our faith in God into action and clothe ourselves in the graces, which come from doing the right thing?

O Lord, you have invited us to your heavenly banquet. We humbly accept and come before you clothed in the garments of the graces we gain through our good works and repentance.

Amen.