Daily Reflection – 8/22/19
Sacred Scripture
Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.’ But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”( Matthew 22: 1-14)
Reflection
This parable is not difficult to understand, and probably wasn’t all that obscure to the chief elders and scribes of the time either, at least the first part of it. The first city to get the invitation was Israel, and the prophets were the servants abused and murdered by the Lord’s people. The refusal to attend would end with the destruction of Jerusalem. The second round of invitations is the church of Jesus gathering everyone else to the Father, but not everyone gathered will enjoy the feast.
God invites all to the banquet of salvation, but we have to prepare ourselves for the event when it comes; we have to look for that invitation and be open to its call, preparing ourselves to receive it. The man in this parable remained clothed in his sin and iniquities, not realizing that such a call would come or would come at that moment. None of us know the moment when we will be called to the feast. We must live the life Jesus teaches us to live in order to prepare for that call, that moment when we find ourselves in front of the Lord.
Jesus has invited each of us to his “wedding feast.” He extends this invitation each and every day. Ask yourself: what is your response to Jesus’ invitation? Do you have an excuse why it is impossible for you to attend the feast: “I have work to do.” Or: “I have another commitment.” Or: “I am tired.”
Each and every day Jesus invites us to his “wedding feast.” It is our choice and our decision to attend or to refuse his invitation. How will you respond to Jesus’ invitation today? Be awake and alert: It may come in an unusual manner or through an individual you may not expect. Jesus will grace us through this encounter!
Prayer of The Day
Lord, may I always know the joy of living in your presence and grow in the hope of seeing you face to face in your everlasting
kingdom.”
Daily Note
We will only be welcomed into God’s kingdom if we welcome Christ’s gift of salvation. Like some in this parable we must shed the soiled garments of sin and be clothed with Christ. In other words, we must repent for our sins and allow ourselves to be wrapped in the gift of God’s love and mercy. God invites and wants to welcome all of us into His kingdom. But do we really want that, and are we prepared to do what He requires of us?
