Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time · Gospel reading Matt 22,1-14.

In this parable from Matthew, Jesus describes a king who prepares an extravagant wedding feast for his son. The invited guests, however, reject the invitation—some dismiss it for trivial reasons, while others respond with violence and murder. Enraged, the king destroys those who rejected him and opens the invitation to everyone: the poor, the outcasts, the unworthy. The banquet hall fills with guests.

Yet the story doesn’t end with universal acceptance and celebration. When the king enters to greet his guests, he notices one man who arrived without proper wedding attire. Though the man is silent when confronted, the king orders him cast out into darkness. This shocking twist reminds us that merely showing up isn’t enough.

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What does this mean for us? The invitation to God’s kingdom is extended to all—regardless of our past, our status, or our worthiness. Like those called from the streets, we are called as we are. But acceptance of that invitation requires more than passive presence. We must approach God’s grace with genuine preparation and respect, with hearts truly transformed and ready to participate fully in the feast.

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The wedding garment represents our spiritual readiness: repentance, faith, and a commitment to live as God calls us to live. We cannot simply accept Christ’s invitation and then remain unchanged. We must allow his grace to clothe us, to remake us from the inside out.

The concluding words—”many are invited, but few are chosen”—aren’t meant to discourage us. Rather, they challenge us to examine our own response. Have we truly accepted God’s invitation? Are we clothing ourselves in the garments of conversion and holiness? The feast awaits all who come with sincere hearts.