WEDNESDAY.
The Invitation to the Marriage Feast. — I.
I. "The kingdom of heaven is like to a man being a king, who made a marriage for his son." (Matt. xxii. 2.) This king is our Heavenly Father, who has instituted a marriage between His only-begotton Son and human nature. The Son has espoused the Church in faith and charity, according to the expression of the Prophet, "I will espouse thee to Me in faith, and thou shalt know that I am the Lord." (Osee. ii. 20.) This same Lord espouses the souls of all the faithful, not those of the noble and the great only, but those of every one who will not reject Him. Acknowledge, O my soul, your exalted dignity, and behave yourself in a manner worthy of your spouse.
II. Under various pretences, many who are called refuse to be present at the marriage feast, the various courses of which are the seven sacraments. Earthly cares prevent some: " I have bought a farm, and I must needs go out and see it." Others say, "I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to try them." Others are too much attached to sensual pleasures to accept of the invitation: " I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come." Others, in fine, " laid hands on his servants" (who were sent to invite them) " and, having treated them contumelioujly, put them to death." (Matt. xxii. 6.) In these wicked and obstinate wretches are depicted those who contumeliously refuse to listen to the Apostles and their successors, and who, not content with this take away their physical or moral lives by death or calumny.
III. Consider the madness and obstinacy of those men
