One of the central themes of this parable is that God freely invites humanity to his eternal banquet. There are those who willingly accept the invitation, reject the invitation or are indifferent, consumed with the busyness and demands of their own lives. By accepting God’s invitation, we are called to transform our lives, to “enlighten the eyes of our heart” by seeing as Christ sees. In a sense, Christ is the “wedding garment”. St Paul refers to this as “putting on Christ” (Romans 13:14).

“Enlighten the eyes of our heart” can therefore become a prayer: Lord, help us to see what we have become accustomed to not seeing, to that which blinds us from seeing with the eyes and heart of Christ.

It is often very challenging to look beyond what is visible and to see people and situations as Christ sees them. In the context of domestic violence, this means having the courage to recognise what may be hidden behind closed doors: fear, control, intimidation, humiliation and abuse. As a community we are called to respond with courage and compassion that respects the inherent dignity of the person. In his Encyclical Letter “Magnifica Humanitas” Pope Leo reminds us that “Human dignity does not depend on a person’s abilities, wealth or position in life, nor on the right or wrong choices made; instead, it is a gift that transcends each person, endowed by God as an expression of his unfailing love. #50”

I think that it is fitting to end this reflection with part of the prayer from the ACBC Social Justice Statement, 2022-2023: Respect, Confronting Violence and Abuse:

Loving God, you made each of us in your own image and likeness

open our eyes to recognise one another as equals,

replacing domination and control, violence, and abuse

with mutuality, reciprocity, respect and freedom.

Help us to love like you.