Fr. Rick’s Homily ~ 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

October 11, 2026
Matthew 22:1-14
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101126.cfm

Silence – An Unrepentant Heart

Our culture is consumed with appearance. Look at the commercials. If we focus only on
the externals, for example, how a person dresses, we never see what Jesus sees in
them. It would be easy to feel sorry for the poor fellow who didn’t have a wedding
garment. But when I thought about it a little more, how did he get past the reservation
desk? 
  
The King provided the robes. He had to have one because if he hadn’t, he wouldn’t
have been allowed into the wedding banquet. I get this clue because no one noticed this
detail except the King.  
   
He saw something in this man that no one else did because he had a relationship with
him, or at least he did. Most people can only see the externals, the robe. So the
wedding garment isn’t so much what we do that others see; it’s how we stand before
Jesus.   

What does he see when he looks into our souls? What is he longing to heal, to show
mercy to, and to forgive? As we approach Jesus to receive him in Holy Communion, let
us not be afraid to withhold anything from Him and His mercy.  
   
Please note that the man said nothing. He knew his soul was not in a healthy state to
receive the Holy Eucharist, the King’s Wedding Banquet. I take his silence as a sign of
non-repentance: he was neither ready to own up to his faults and sins nor willing to tell
the King, “I’m sorry. If I have approached Holy Communion without having been to Mass
on a Sunday or to Confession for a long time, it’s time I said something to the King in
Confession and received His absolution—no more silence.”
   
Gospel Challenge:
Let’s use the time before Holy Communion to tell God we are sorry and, with his help,
decide what we need to do to make amends to Him and the other wedding guests.  
    
Love Your Neighbor!

Fr. Rick Pilger, I.C.

 www.bscchurch.com    
www.rosminians.com