COME TO THE WEDDING

Thursday Week 20 in Ordinary Time - Saint Bernard, Abbort, Doctor

“The wedding is ready; but as those who were invited proved to be unworthy”

First Reading Ezikiel 36:23-28

I will remove the heart of stone from your bodies and give you a heart of flesh

The word of the Lord was addressed to me as follows: ‘I mean to display the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned among them. And the nations will learn that I am the Lord – it is the Lord who speaks – when I display my holiness for your sake before their eyes. Then I am going to take you from among the nations and gather you together from all the foreign countries, and bring you home to your own land. I shall pour clean water over you and you will be cleansed; I shall cleanse you of all your defilement and all your idols. I shall give you a new heart, and put a new spirit in you; I shall remove the heart of stone from your bodies and give you a heart of flesh instead. I shall put my spirit in you, and make you keep my laws and sincerely respect my observances. You will live in the land which I gave your ancestors. You shall be my people and I will be your God.

Responsorial Psalm: I shall pour clean water over you and all your sins will be washed away.

Gospel Matthiew 22:1-14 Invite everyone you can to the wedding

Jesus began to speak to the chief priests and elders of the people in parables: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a feast for his son’s wedding. He sent his servants to call those who had been invited, but they would not come. Next he sent some more servants. “Tell those who have been invited” he said “that I have my banquet all prepared, my oxen and fattened cattle have been slaughtered, everything is ready. Come to the wedding.” But they were not interested: one went off to his farm, another to his business, and the rest seized his servants, maltreated them and killed them. The king was furious. He despatched his troops, destroyed those murderers and burnt their town. Then he said to his servants, “The wedding is ready; but as those who were invited proved to be unworthy, go to the crossroads in the town and invite everyone you can find to the wedding.” So these servants went out on to the roads and collected together everyone they could find, bad and good alike; and the wedding hall was filled with guests. When the king came in to look at the guests he noticed one man who was not wearing a wedding garment, and said to him, “How did you get in here, my friend, without a wedding garment?” And the man was silent. Then the king said to the attendants, “Bind him hand and foot and throw him out into the dark, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.” For many are called, but few are chosen.’

Merciful Father who can be save? Father, I am unworthy, I believe in your love. My desire is to be in your heavenly kingdom when my pilgrim on earth is accomplished.  Jesus, I trust in you. Virgin Mary, pray for me. Saint Joseph, pray for me. SaintBernard, pray for me. My Angel guardian, pray for me.

Let us pray the holy Rosary: Hail Mary full of grace.

AELF:  VENEZ AU REPAS DE NOCE - S. Bernard, abbé et docteur de l'Eglise

‘Le repas de noce est prêt, mais les invités n'en étaient pas dignes'

Évangile  Matthieu 22,1-14 ‘Tous ceux que vous rencontrerez, invitez-les au repas de noce’

Jésus se remit à parler en paraboles: «Le Royaume des cieux est comparable à un roi qui célébrait les noces de son fils. Il envoya ses serviteurs pour appeler à la noce les invités, mais ceux-ci ne voulaient pas venir. Il envoya encore d'autres serviteurs dire aux invités: ‘Voilà: mon repas est prêt, mes boeufs et mes bêtes grasses sont égorgés; tout est prêt: venez au repas de noce’. Mais ils n'en tinrent aucun compte et s'en allèrent, l'un à son champ, l'autre à son commerce; les autres empoignèrent les serviteurs, les maltraitèrent et les tuèrent. Le roi se mit en colère, il envoya ses troupes, fit périr les meurtriers et brûla leur ville. Alors il dit à ses serviteurs: ‘Le repas de noce est prêt, mais les invités n'en étaient pas dignes. Allez donc aux croisées des chemins: tous ceux que vous rencontrerez, invitez-les au repas de noce’. Les serviteurs allèrent sur les chemins, rassemblèrent tous ceux qu'ils rencontrèrent, les mauvais comme les bons, et la salle de noce fut remplie de convives. Le roi entra pour voir les convives. Il vit un homme qui ne portait pas le vêtement de noce, et lui dit: ‘Mon ami, comment es-tu entré ici, sans avoir le vêtement de noce?’. L'autre garda le silence. Alors le roi dit aux serviteurs: ‘Jetez-le, pieds et poings liés, dehors dans les ténèbres; là il y aura des pleurs et des grincements de dents’. Certes, la multitude des hommes est appelée, mais les élus sont peu nombreux».

Père miséricordieux, qui peut être sauvé ? Père, je suis indigne, mais je crois en ton amour. Mon désir est d'être dans ton royaume céleste lorsque mon pèlerinage sur terre sera achevé. Jésus, j'ai confiance en toi. Vierge Marie, prie pour moi. Saint Joseph, prie pour moi. Saint Bernard, prie pour moi. Mon ange gardien, prie pour moi.

 

Prions le saint Rosaire : Je vous salue, Marie, pleine de grâce.