FR MICHAEL BOAKYE YEBOAH
CATHOLIC ARCHDIOCESE OF KUMASI, GHANA.
SELF-CERTIFICATION
Last week we initiated our reflection with a thought on self-assessment and self-evaluation. Based on our readings, I would like us to use the “self-certification” method. Self-certification is closely related to self-assessment and self-evaluation.
If a person goes through self-assessment and self-evaluation, normally the conclusion that follows is certification. Normally, self-certification can be described as the practice of making an official declaration that something complies with regulatory standards or procedures without independent substantiating evidence.
Normally, in formation houses if a person is certified to continue with his/her formation or is told to withdraw, some people think that the authorities alone arrived at that decision. But if those formatees are sincere and they have assessed themselves well, they will know within themselves that what was officially declared by the competent authority, only confirms something they themselves know already. That is why I love this slogan: “If you do not go to heaven, do not blame Jesus.”
In our relationship with Jesus and our readiness to attend the Lord’s banquet; once a person goes through the exercise of self-assessment and self-evaluation, (s)he may know with a high level of certainty where (s)he stands in the presence of the Lord. At the moment, most of us are fully aware of “our standings” in the Lord. If our lives are in line with God’s ways, we may know and if not, we may be fully aware. Your conscience is your best judge, for one can lie to his friends but (s)he cannot lie to his conscience.
I put the topic for our reflection as “will you be there?” because of the message in the first reading and the gospel passage. The words of the Prophet Isaiah are so inviting. The Prophet describes the scene of the banquet of the Lord as: “On this mountain the Lord of hosts will provide for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines…” But I relay the question: “Will you be there?”
We can certify ourselves among the invitees to the banquet of the Lord based on the following:
- Will I excuse myself?
When we read carefully the gospel passage, we are told that those who were initially invited by the King excused themselves by preferring to attend to their private businesses than to be present at the wedding banquet. When one factors in the Jewish custom of the time, one may not fault the invitees too much for turning down the invitation at the last moment. During that time, when invitations to a great feast, like a wedding feast, were sent out, the date and time were not stated. When the person who organized the feast and sent the invitation deem that the time was right, he will normally send his servants with final summons to tell his guests to come. So, the king in this parable had long sent out his invitations; but it was not until everything was prepared that the final summons was issued. When his guests got the final summons, they prioritized their respective engagement to the king’s invitation.
If we are to live on the terms of a cultural custom, then everyone can do what he likes to God’s summon to his banquet but in our case, we are being invited to a spiritual banquet with the Lord. Once we accepted his invitation on our day of Christian initiation, we were told that as regards the main banquet he will not give out the date and time, for he will come at an hour we least excepted and so we need to get ready at all times.
In our case, we need to make good use of our invitation because the first invitation went to the Jewish race, but when the Lord came they least expected it and so they could not be found in his company and so the opportunity was given to people who declared faith in Jesus and decided to answer to his call. And so, St. John will say: “He came to his own and his own did not accept but those who did accept him, he gave them the opportunity to become sons and daughters of the kingdom of heaven.
But some of us like the Jews of old, we find all kinds of excuses not to attend Mass, the banquet of the Lord on Sundays. Please today is Sunday, and I would like to ask whether you have already placed an excuse on why you will not attend Mass (the banquet of the Lord)? Can you conclude on your self-assessment and self-evaluation and give a certification to your assessment on whether if the Lord comes the final time, with your state of life, you will be at his banquet? You alone can give a fair assessment on this because your conscience will not lie to you unless you are under the influence of “something.”
- Will you be in your Proper Garment?
The inspired writer tells us that: “…when the king came in to meet the guests, he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. The king said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’”
As much as we have been called from all corners of the earth to attend the wedding feast, we should note that our “faith” in the Lord alone may not be enough because the Lord requires that we come to the feast in a proper garment for the banquet.
Do you remember the rituals involved in your baptism? You remember that on the day you were baptized, the priest put on your shoulders a white garment and said: “you have become a new creation and have clothed yourself in Christ. See in this white garment the outward sign of your Christian dignity. With your family and friends to help you by word and example, bring that dignity unstained into the everlasting life of heaven.”
This garment should be preserved in purity because it is one of the main requirements for one’s admittance into the heavenly banquet. Since one does not know when the final summon will be given, (s)he is encouraged to be always ready. One should make each day; a day of the final summon.
We should be ready for that feast of feasts and not miss out. I pray we all will be there for this feast, so let get ready. OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP PRAY FOR US.
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