The Reality of the Kingdom of Heaven (Contd):
Wedding Clothes: If the previous parable spoke of people who needed skill to tend the vineyard and had to be loyal and faithful to the master, the parable of the wedding-feast does not put forward any such requirements. It is evident that the previous one is about disciples with responsibilities to be fulfilled, whereas the present parable refers to people in general without requiring any qualification on them. In fact, anyone found on the way is suitable to be invited to the feast except for the requirement of the wedding clothes while sitting at the table. The fact that the man had no excuse to offer on being questioned by the master on his audacity to sit at the table without the wedding clothes shows that he had himself refused those clothes freely given to every guest. God's love and graces freely given to all of us are those wedding clothes we should necessarily wear at the wedding feast. "For though many are invited, few are chosen" (Matthew, 22: 14).
Keeping awake: In order to understand the reality of the Kingdom, Jesus presents two more parables in relation to the end of time before detailing out the scene of the last judgment. The first is about the five foolish and five prudent virgins waiting for the arrival of the bridegroom. The foolish ones were totally unprepared for the occasion and yet they slept along with the prudent virgins. Their folly was noticed when they were unable to light their lamps because they had no oil with them and had to go to the traders to fetch it. But it was too late as the bridegroom refused to open the door for them for the simple reason that he did not know them. Because they remained unprepared for the coming of the bridegroom he did not know them at all! "Keep awake then; for you never know the day or the hour" (Matthew, 25: 13).
The Talents: The next parable tells us how we should handle the talents given to each one of us. Since every one has some talent or other, no one is excused in being lazy and whiling away time complaining about one thing or other in our lives. Everyone will be asked to submit an account of the assets he or she has received from God. If we have done nothing to improve on what we have received, we shall be thrown out and what was given to us shall be given to the one who has accomplished the most. Thus one of the fundamental principles of spiritual life is expounded by Jesus in the following verse. "For the man who has will always be given more, till he has enough and to spare; and the man who has not will forfeit even what he has" (Matthew, 25: 29).
The Last Judgment: The final note on the reality of the Kingdom is enhanced by a reference to the Father's blessings Who had prepared it since the world was made. The righteous that fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, gave refuge to the stranger, clothed the naked, helped the ill and visited the prisoners were not even aware of having done them for Jesus. As for Jesus, it is not important to do good in his name if it is done for his representatives mentioned above. "And the king will answer, 'I tell you this: anything you did for one of my brothers here, however humble, you did for me' " (Matthew, 25: 40). Those on the left hand side of the king will disclaim that they ever saw the king in such miserable conditions and therefore could not help him. "And he will answer, 'I tell you this: anything you did not do for one of these, however humble, you did not do for me'. And they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous will enter eternal life" (Matthew, 25: 45-46).
The Mystery of Jesus Christ: The complete identification of the king with every human being, especially the humble and the lowly, is a consequence of God becoming man and redeeming us through the paschal mystery.Thus God is one with the human race and is identified with each and every one of us through the mystery of Jesus Christ. Jesus referred to himself as the "Son of Man" in order to express this mystery. When any one of us identifies ourselves with our fellow human beings in whatever way possible we are identifying ourselves with Jesus Christ, the king at the last judgment. In the same spirit Paul tells us to please our neighbor for his or her genuine good at our cost as Jesus Christ himself did (See Romans, 15: 1- 3). (To be Contd)..
Wedding Clothes: If the previous parable spoke of people who needed skill to tend the vineyard and had to be loyal and faithful to the master, the parable of the wedding-feast does not put forward any such requirements. It is evident that the previous one is about disciples with responsibilities to be fulfilled, whereas the present parable refers to people in general without requiring any qualification on them. In fact, anyone found on the way is suitable to be invited to the feast except for the requirement of the wedding clothes while sitting at the table. The fact that the man had no excuse to offer on being questioned by the master on his audacity to sit at the table without the wedding clothes shows that he had himself refused those clothes freely given to every guest. God's love and graces freely given to all of us are those wedding clothes we should necessarily wear at the wedding feast. "For though many are invited, few are chosen" (Matthew, 22: 14).
Keeping awake: In order to understand the reality of the Kingdom, Jesus presents two more parables in relation to the end of time before detailing out the scene of the last judgment. The first is about the five foolish and five prudent virgins waiting for the arrival of the bridegroom. The foolish ones were totally unprepared for the occasion and yet they slept along with the prudent virgins. Their folly was noticed when they were unable to light their lamps because they had no oil with them and had to go to the traders to fetch it. But it was too late as the bridegroom refused to open the door for them for the simple reason that he did not know them. Because they remained unprepared for the coming of the bridegroom he did not know them at all! "Keep awake then; for you never know the day or the hour" (Matthew, 25: 13).
The Talents: The next parable tells us how we should handle the talents given to each one of us. Since every one has some talent or other, no one is excused in being lazy and whiling away time complaining about one thing or other in our lives. Everyone will be asked to submit an account of the assets he or she has received from God. If we have done nothing to improve on what we have received, we shall be thrown out and what was given to us shall be given to the one who has accomplished the most. Thus one of the fundamental principles of spiritual life is expounded by Jesus in the following verse. "For the man who has will always be given more, till he has enough and to spare; and the man who has not will forfeit even what he has" (Matthew, 25: 29).
The Last Judgment: The final note on the reality of the Kingdom is enhanced by a reference to the Father's blessings Who had prepared it since the world was made. The righteous that fed the hungry, gave drink to the thirsty, gave refuge to the stranger, clothed the naked, helped the ill and visited the prisoners were not even aware of having done them for Jesus. As for Jesus, it is not important to do good in his name if it is done for his representatives mentioned above. "And the king will answer, 'I tell you this: anything you did for one of my brothers here, however humble, you did for me' " (Matthew, 25: 40). Those on the left hand side of the king will disclaim that they ever saw the king in such miserable conditions and therefore could not help him. "And he will answer, 'I tell you this: anything you did not do for one of these, however humble, you did not do for me'. And they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous will enter eternal life" (Matthew, 25: 45-46).
The Mystery of Jesus Christ: The complete identification of the king with every human being, especially the humble and the lowly, is a consequence of God becoming man and redeeming us through the paschal mystery.Thus God is one with the human race and is identified with each and every one of us through the mystery of Jesus Christ. Jesus referred to himself as the "Son of Man" in order to express this mystery. When any one of us identifies ourselves with our fellow human beings in whatever way possible we are identifying ourselves with Jesus Christ, the king at the last judgment. In the same spirit Paul tells us to please our neighbor for his or her genuine good at our cost as Jesus Christ himself did (See Romans, 15: 1- 3). (To be Contd)..
No comments:
Post a Comment