18-Aug-16

Gospel MT 22:1-14

Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and the elders of the people in parables saying,
“The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who gave a wedding feast for his son.
He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast,
but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants, saying,
‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet,
my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’
Some ignored the invitation and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business.
The rest laid hold of his servants,
mistreated them, and killed them.
The king was enraged and sent his troops,
destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.
Then the king said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready,
but those who were invited were not worthy to come.
Go out, therefore, into the main roads
and invite to the feast whomever you find.’
The servants went out into the streets
and gathered all they found, bad and good alike,
and the hall was filled with guests.
But when the king came in to meet the guests
he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.
He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it
that you came in here without a wedding garment?’
But he was reduced to silence.
Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet,
and cast him into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’
Many are invited, but few are chosen.”
Reflection:
"Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet,
my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’
Some ignored the invitation and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business."
Jesus came to tell us that God has prepared a banquet for each of us.
We may not reject God's invitation outright, but, like those in today's parable, there are times when we simply put other things first.
I allow the grandchild's baseball game to take precedence over Sunday mass. Or, perhaps, in rushing to have breakfast with a friend, I don't even take the time to say 'Good morning, Lord."
I would never be so rude as to fail to reply to a RSVP if a friend invited me to their wedding. Yet, there are days when I totally ignore God's invitation to spend time with Him
"Then the king said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready,
but those who were invited were not worthy to come.
Go out, therefore, into the main roads
and invite to the feast whomever you find."
God created us because He loves us; He yearns for our company.
Rich or poor, learned or simple, God searches us out and wants us to with Him.
"But when the king came in to meet the guests
he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.
He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it
that you came in here without a wedding garment?"
The analogy of the "wedding garment" is not about how our body is clothed but it is about whether we have prepared our heart and mind to be in the presence of our Creator.
God is inviting each of us to spend time with Him.
Just for a little while can I leave the things of this world behind and answer God's invitation?
"Time spent with God is time well spent. God is the one constant element in our life." - - Unknown