An Invitation to a Wedding Feast

The theme of this Sunday’s gospel is repeated several times throughout the gospels. Jesus speaks about an invitation being offered, re­jected, and the offer made to someone else. He tells us about the fate of those who rejected his offer, and he ends with something that may puzzle us, when we read of one person who answered the invitation, came to the meal, but was unceremoniously re­jected.

The first part of the gospel speaks of an invitation to a wedding feast. It speaks about the excuses made why different people couldn't come. In other words, they didn't want to come. It is obvious that the father loves his son, and it is important to him that his son's wedding feast is a splendid occasion, with many people in attendance. As we read this, we must remember that it is Jesus who is telling us the story. We must also remember that Jesus made up the story to illustrate a point. He would have sought, through story-form, to teach something that he wanted us to know. We can take it then that we are the ones who are in­vited to the feast. God's wants to share a celebration with us. You will notice that the invitation is issued twice, first when the invitations went out, and second, when the meal was ready.

Then the excuses began to flow. The excuses were trivial, and, to make matters worse, some of the people attacked and even killed some of the messengers. This certainly was rejection with a difference.

We are people who are invited to the wedding feast. God invites us to sit at table with him, and to share his most precious gift, his only Son, Jesus Christ. Every invitation from God has RSVP written bold and clear. Not to reply is, in itself, an answer. It is not only to accept the invitation, but I must also show up for the wedding. God is not devious, and he asks us not to be devious. 'Let your "yes" be "yes", and your "no" be "no".' God is patient, and he will continue to invite until there is no sign of any response. He doesn't give up on us lightly, but there must come a time when I have deliberately put myself outside the scope of the invitation; because of my free will, God cannot, or would not shanghai me into conformity with his will, against my will.

There are no second-class citizens in the kingdom of God. When I read about the person that was ejected from the feast, I must look within my heart, to check on the sincerity of my commitment as a Christian.

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