October 12, 2014: 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

You and I have also been invited to “the wedding feast” as Jesus’ disciples.

Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and 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 he 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. The king 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.” (Matthew 22:1-14)

Reflection:

In today’s parable a king hosts a really big party, a wedding feast. However, the ungrateful guests turned down the opportunity, making one excuse after another.
The angry king punished the invited guests and sent his servants to summon even more people to the feast. The Jews in Jesus’ audience found themselves identified with those ungrateful and cruel guests.

Action:

You and I have also been invited to “the wedding feast” as Jesus’ disciples.
In baptism we were offered a special relationship with God, with daily opportunities to accept God’s invitation or reject it. Read this passage of Scripture and try to apply it to yourself.
Are you a grateful disciple? Are there times when you make excuses to get out of your responsibility as a chosen friend of Jesus?