In America, the term “Celebration of Life” is increasingly used instead of “funeral”. “Funeral” comes from the Latin word funus for death and corpse, so unfortunately, it is understandable why people try to avoid this word: they don’t want to think about death because they fear it and live as if death doesn’t exist. Often, children do a great injustice to their parents, who would like to talk to them about their imminent death, but to whom the children dismissively reply: “Let’s not talk about it – you’re not going to die yet!”

Whose image and inscription do we carry in ourselves? Scripture says that man is created in the image and likeness of God. Just think, if every person really carried the image of God in himself and was in everything like Him who is perfect and holy – what would our entire nation, our country, the whole world be like?

When Peter asked Jesus how oft he had to forgive his brother who had sinned against him, he himself suggested that seven times should be enough. Peter is quite generous here: for example, from the book of the prophet Amos, we can see that God is ready to forgive wrongdoings three times, but not the fourth time.

The true throne of the eternal King is the Cross of Calvary. From this Cross our true and loving King reigns over all – as the one who has reconciled by his blood all things unto Himself, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. He has given himself in love.

The King in today’s Gospel parable is God our Father. The son of the King is God’s only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Saviour. We are the ones invited to His wedding feast. God has betrothed us to His Son when He accepted us as His children in baptism.