Twenty-nineth Sunday of Ordinary Time

October 18, 2026

Matthew 22: 1-14

This is the third parable that Jesus is addressing to the chief priests, Pharisees, and leaders of the people. Like the others these past few Sundays, the parallel between the reaction to Jesus of these leaders and the events in the parables is the point. They have received many invitations to believe and embrace Jesus’ way and message and they would not. Again the similarities in the stories and Jesus passion is quite clear. Soon the movement to do away with Jesus will get underway.

Again, Jesus warns that if those who are invited into the Kingdom do not accept, then Jesus will offer invitations to others, perhaps those who are not as worthy, who are not part of Israel. And when those who are gathered from the back streets and byways come in, one of them is not wearing a wedding garment. The invitation is given, and according to custom a garment was provided by the host. And yet, one person did not put it on. The King confronts him and calls him friend, just as Jesus would address Judas in the garden. He says, “My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?” The gospel says, “But he was reduced to silence.” I find this strange. What does it mean?

Is it possible that even after the invitation into the kingdom is accepted, that a person could fail to grasp what was being offered, or what is being asked in return? We can think of our own situation; there have undoubtedly been times when we forget what the invitation is all about; we think that maybe other options are more meaningful, ore satisfying. One of the options for a Communion Antiphon today is from John’s First Epistle chapter 3, verse 2: “When the Lord appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” So John makes the connection between seeing Jesus as He really is and our transformation to be like Jesus. We can say that the same principle is at work right now. To the extent that you see Jesus as He is, to that same extent, you are like Him in your life. 

When Jesus confronts us through Scripture, through our reading, through our prayer, we are sometimes reduced to silence. The gap in our communication with God is too great, and we have nothing to say. Archbishop Bloom points out that in prayer, we sometime fail to have words or contact because we are not being ourselves in prayer or our life; we want something from Jesus, and not Jesus himself. We become the Pharisee and not the tax collector who can only say, “Lord, have mercy on me a sinner.” Perhaps in order to to see Jesus as he really is, we have to see ourselves as we really are, just like the tax collector did.

However, as long as we are alive on earth, Jesus’ invitation continues to be given to us. The call is always there. It is time to overcome our silence and accept the invitation to come into the kingdom. Again, St. Paul reminds us that God will provide all we need. If we can let go and accept the invitation, we are that much closer to make a reality the words our Communion Antiphon: “When the Lord appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” If we see Jesus as he really is, and are our true self, we can better accept the Lord’s invitation and let ourselves be transformed.

Fr. John Tran