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.”
Lectio (Reading)
Read the passage twice and get a sense of what it is saying. Pay attention to what strikes you.Meditatio (Reflecting)
Slowly read the passage again, pausing on words or phrases that stands out. Take time to consider the meaning. particularly in your life.The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son.
Oratio (Responding)
Read the passage again, slowly. Consider how God has spoken to you and respond back to Him. You may want to consider how this passage is asking you to act differently.This parable is definitely weird, but it does give us insight into the mind of God. It is written intentionally unusual and outlandish, so as to bring attention to the different way that God looks at the world, and at justice. First lets describe the characters. The king is God, The son is Jesus (son of david). The wedding feast is that of Jesus to His bride the church. The invited guests are the leaders of jerusalem, who should have recognized Jesus as son of God. And the guest with no wedding garment is what happens when we love our sin more than God.
God starts His wedding feast inviting the people of His first covenant, the jewish people of the old testament. Remembering last weeks gospel, we know the reason why. The Jewish leaders had created for themselves a new religion, and they had created a new temple in their own image. They had completely forgotten about God, fallen in love with their own power, and the trappings that come with that, kind of power. But because God never forgets His covenants, He starts with His chosen people, hoping that they would recognize the king and his son.
When the Jewish leaders dont respond, and even reject Him. He tells his servants to “Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.” This is clearly a reference to the spreading of the gospel, and the evangelization of the gentiles. God intends through His wedding feast to join all of the people of this world, jew and gentile alike. He desires for all to know the gospel, and be in communion with the Lord. The church of the kingdom of heaven, will contain all the people of this world, not just the chosen people.
Lastly we come to the wedding garment. The wedding garment was typically an all white robe. This robe is a reference to salvation at the end of time, but more specifically baptism in this world. When you are baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, you are forgiven of all your past sin, and made clean in the sight of God. And as Paul says, “nothing unclean can enter heaven.” There is only one way that we can enter into the wedding feast, and be in the presence of the king, and that is to be made clean, and that only happens through the gift and sacrament of baptism. We can tarnish that gift, through mortal sin, and may need to be made clean again, and that is where confession, and finally purgatory come in. But no matter what, You cannot be in the presence of God the king, if you are unclean.
This man, in the parable, has rejected the gift of baptism, has not donned the garment of salvation, and thus cannot be at the feast. You cannot cling to your sin, and selfishness, while at the same time be in the presence of God. God is a consuming fire, but this fire does not burn away flesh and bone, but only sin. If you are clean of sin, then to be in God’s presence, is like a warm loving glow, but if you have any connection to sin in your heart, the fire of God’s love will burn your sin, like you are in a fiery furnace. Thus to reject Gods love is to be cast out, and into the darkness where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.
This is truly a convicting parable, because it clearly tells us what is needed to be in communion with God, and to be will with Him forever in heaven. We should heed the advice that Jesus is giving us here, our future eternity depends on it. Amen.
Contemplatio (Contemplating)
Take time to simply remain in the presence of God.Resolutio (Resolving)
Make a resolution that will improve your life, your relationships, or your faith. Make it small and attainable, and do it.Oh lord, help me today to reject sin, and to put on the wedding garment of salvation, so that I can be with you in heaven for all eternity. Amen.