Ezekiel 36:23-28 / Matthew 22:1-14
New things always give us a sense of excitement and make us want to discover more about it.
So it may be a new car, or a new device or gadget, a new job or a new location.
But the newness will slowly wear off and the excitement becomes casual, and the feeling becomes routine and ordinary.
And such can happen in the spiritual life too.
The people of God had become too casual in their relationship with God.
They even profaned God’s name by their unfaithfulness and sinfulness.
This led to their enemies conquering them, and subsequently the enemies also profaned God’s name.
And when God had enough of it, He decided to display the holiness of His great name again to His people and also to their enemies.
God forgave His people and cleansed them and made them a new people again, so that they will keep the laws and sincerely respect the observances.
So with a new heart and a new spirit, they will again be God’s people who will display God’s holiness to the other nations.
In the gospel parable, the king gave a feast for his son’s wedding and he called those who were invited.
But those who were invited were indifferent to the invitation and went about doing their ordinary business.
The first reading and the gospel parable remind us that routine can be the death of reverence.
Let us not be indifferent to who God is and take His love for us too casually.
Let us always remember that God is holy and He has called us to be holy.