Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/563

 by His  justice,  was  by  no  means  exhausted. Once again He  sent  forth  His  servants  into  the  highways to gather  together  as  many  as  they  found,  both  bad and good,  till  the  wedding  was  filled  with  guests. It was the  call  of  the  Gentiles  to  the  Christian  faith, that call  that  has  rung  down  the  ages,  that  has  rung out to-day  from  so  many  Catholic  pulpits;  from  the steeples of  so  many  Christian  temples. The royal banquet-hall is  to-day  the  Christian  Church,  and  the vast numbers  of  baptized  Christians  therein  collected speak volumes  for  the  assiduity  of  the  King's  servants and  the  docility  of  those  they  invited. The proud, self-sufficient  Jew  thanked  God  he  was  not like other  men,  and  spurned  the  invitation;  but  the lowly Gentile,  though  the  call  came  to  him  secondhand, bowed  an  humble  acknowledgment,  "  Lord, be  merciful  to  me,  a  sinner,"  and  accepted  it  without question. The wedding  was  filled  with  guests  and the King's  heart,  though  still  yearning  for  His  own, His chosen  ones,  was  consoled,  nevertheless,  as  was the heart  of  the  prodigal's  father  by  the  continuous presence of  his  dutiful  son. But among  His  guests He sees  one  who  has  not  on  the  wedding-garment  of charity. Many had  come,  both  good  and  bad — many clothed  in  the  filth  and  rags  of  iniquity,  but  by the  bounty  of  the  host  and  the  efforts  of  His  servants all  but  one  had  been  clothed  in  that  garment that covereth  a  multitude  of  sins. One persisted  in outraging  the  etiquette  of  the  occasion,  and,  once again, mercy  gave  place  to  justice  and  he  is  cast  out into the  exterior  darkness.