A Homily on Matthew 22:1-14:The Right Word at the Right Time ( 21-8-25)

A reflection on Matthew 22:1-14: the silence of the wedding guest, teaching us that speaking the right word at the right time can save our soul. (21-8-25)

Praise be to Jesus Christ 

One day, a group of monkeys went in search of food. While playing, they fell into a trap in the field. At once they began to jump and scream loudly, each pulling in a different direction, but nothing helped. The more they cried out in confusion, the tighter the trap became. Then one monkey, wiser than the rest, raised his voice and said, “Stop for a moment. Be silent and listen. If we keep struggling blindly, we will destroy ourselves. But if we work together calmly, we can escape.” The others listened. They kept silence, followed his simple instruction, and soon they were free. Foolish noise had trapped them, but the right word at the right time set them free.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells us about the wedding feast. A man entered the banquet without a wedding garment. The king asked him, “My friend, how did you come in here without one?” But the man was silent. This was not the silence of wisdom, but the silence of fear and pride. He could have spoken. He could have begged for mercy. He could have said like the thief on the cross, “Lord, remember me.” But he kept quiet, and his silence condemned him.

The wedding garment in the Gospel is nothing other than the grace of God. Without it, no one can remain in the banquet of heaven. How do we receive this garment again when we have stained it with sin? We receive it in the Sacrament of Confession. Silence is needed there, but not the silence of hiding. We must listen to God in our hearts, and then at the right moment, we must speak. Like the thief who admitted his sin and asked for mercy, we too must open our lips and say, “Forgive me, Lord.” Those small words spoken at the right time clothe us again with grace and prepare us for the joy of the King’s feast.

There are two kinds of silence. There is negative silence, born of guilt, fear, or pride. Cain was silent after killing his brother. Judas was silent instead of asking pardon from Jesus. In our own homes, such silence can wound love—a husband who refuses to speak, a child who hides the truth, a family that avoids prayer. But there is also holy silence. Jesus was silent before Pilate. Elijah found God not in thunder or fire, but in a gentle silence. A mother watching over her sick child, a husband and wife resting in quiet peace, a family gathered in evening prayer—these silences are filled with love.

The Gospel reminds us that it is not enough to be silent. There comes a moment when a word must be spoken. The wise monkey spoke and saved his companions. The thief on the cross spoke and was saved. The wedding guest remained silent and was lost. Silence is holy when it listens, but salvation comes when, at the right moment, we speak words of humility and repentance.

Saint John of the Cross says that silence is God’s first language, but God also listens when we whisper, “Forgive me. I am sorry. I love you.” In confession, these words open heaven. In our families, these small words heal more than long speeches.

At the end of our life, all noise will fade away. What will remain is the truth of our heart, sometimes in silence, sometimes in a humble word. May our silence be filled with listening, and may our words be spoken at the right moment to save our soul.

Lord, give us the courage to speak, when ever it  is necessary. Amen

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