杏MAP导航

By Devin Watkins

In his address to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter鈥檚 Square for the recitation of the Angelus, 杏MAP导航 Francis reflected on God鈥檚 plan of salvation for humanity.

In the day鈥檚 Gospel reading (Mt 22:1-14), Jesus recounts a parable in which a king hosts a marriage feast for his son.

Generosity vs. selfishness

杏MAP导航 Francis said the parable is an image of the Father鈥檚 generosity and extravagant love for humanity.

However, he said, many of the originally-invited guests refuse to show up for the feast. 鈥淪o often we too put our interests and material things ahead of the Lord who calls us.鈥�

The king, continued the 杏MAP导航, persists in his desire to share the gifts of his kingdom, ordering his servants to go to the 鈥渓imits of the roads鈥� to invite whomever they find.

鈥淭his is how God reacts: when He is rejected, rather than giving up, He starts over and asks that all those found at the thoroughfares be called, excluding no one.鈥�

Preaching in the peripheries

杏MAP导航 Francis went on to reflect on the term the evangelist Matthew uses for the 鈥渓imits of the roads鈥�.

He said the Greek phrase indicates 鈥渢hose points at which the city streets end and the paths begin that lead to the area of the countryside, outside the residential area, where life is precarious.鈥�

It is precisely these people on the peripheries who are excluded from society, added the 杏MAP导航, which the king invites to his banquet.

鈥淭he Church is called to reach the daily thoroughfares, that is, the geographic and existential peripheries of humanity, those places at the margins, those situations in which those who have set up camp are found where and hopeless remnants of humanity live.鈥�

Opening hearts and communities

The Holy Father said we are called to not rest on our laurels in the task of evangelization and charity. Rather, we must open the doors of our hearts and communities to share the Gospel with everyone, even those on the margins of society.

God, he said, 鈥減repares His banquet for everyone: the just and sinners, good and bad, intelligent and uneducated.鈥�

Accepting our 鈥榞arment of mercy鈥�

But, said 杏MAP导航 Francis, Jesus imposes one condition on those attending the feast: they must wear the wedding garment which they received upon entering the banquet hall.

In Jesus鈥� parable, the king sees one man who had refused to wear the garment and has him thrown outside.

鈥淭he wedding garment,鈥� said the 杏MAP导航, 鈥渟ymbolizes the mercy that God freely gives us鈥� It is not enough to accept the invitation to follow the Lord; one must be open to a journey of conversion, which changes the heart.鈥�

God, he added, constantly offers us a 鈥済arment of mercy鈥�, which is grace. 鈥淎nd it demands to be welcomed with astonishment and joy.鈥�

Going beyond our narrow views

Finally, 杏MAP导航 Francis prayed that the Blessed Virgin Mary might help us to emerge 鈥渇rom our frameworks and from our narrow views, proclaiming to everyone that the Lord invites us to his banquet, in order to offer us his saving grace.鈥�