The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son” (Mt 22:2).
Throughout the Gospels, Jesus not only talked about feasts, but he is recorded as often celebrating table fellowship. Those he ate with ranged from people who were considered sinners and outcasts to the religious elite.
In the parable from today’s Gospel, Jesus presented a wide range of reactions to the invitation offered by the king through his servants. Some are so caught up in their own lives, that they are not able or willing to break away, others reject the invitation outright and do so violently, by mistreating and even killing the servants of the king. Then others, the good and bad alike, welcome the invitation.
God invites, but we must be willing to change our hearts and minds to see the invitation for what it is, an eternal gift. Those who refused were unwilling to change their plans, as well as others who, with hearts of stone, were outright hostile, willing to abuse and even kill the servants.
Near the end of the parable, Jesus presents a curious fellow that the king found present at the banquet without the proper attire. This is not a literal indictment of not wearing the proper clothes. The wedding garment imagery may be a recognition of a willingness to receive the benefits of the invitation without a yes to the responsibility involved with the invitation of transformation.
We are invited to participate in the banquet of eternal life with God. The invitation is freely given, yet it requires that we dress for the occasion of participating in the banquet of a king. This dress is no material garment of fine linen and gold embroidery, but our willingness to repent, to put into practice the words of the prophet Ezekiel: to allow God to sprinkle clean water upon us such that we will be cleansed from our impurities and idols. To be willing to give to God our hearts of stone so that he may give us a new heart and a new spirit, that we may live by his statutes and observe his decrees (cf. Ezekiel 36:25-27).
The wedding garment we wear is our willingness to be cleansed by God and to receive a new heart and spirit, so that we can participate in the banquet of his Son, the first born of the new creation.
God the Father offered an invitation to an eternal banquet to the judges, the prophets, the people of Israel, to be one with him that they might shine brightly before all so to make his will and glory known to the world. In God’s timing, he sent his Son to fulfill that mission of invitation and to be with us in our present moment and in our present condition in life. Jesus meets us where we are right now in our everyday experiences and tells us that “the feast is ready.”
This is an invitation to begin again, to turn away from our selfish ways, to receive a new heart and a renewed spirit. God invites us too, but we need to be willing to let go, to change our hearts and minds, to be transformed and perfected through our participation in the life of Jesus and the purifying fire of the Holy Spirit.
Our yes demands accountability, we can’t just show up dressed for the part and take up space. Our ultimate attire is the transformation from within in which our posture changes from a curving in upon ourselves to an openness and willingness to be transformed by God’s love, so that we will follow his will without hesitation and devote our time, discipline, talent, and treasure to serving at the banquet and inviting others to attend.
Photo: JoAnn and me enjoying an event at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary back in 2013. May she now be celebrating with Jesus, Mary, and the saints at the heavenly banquet.
Spiritual Stepping Stones 