A Wedding – You Are Invited
Do you enjoy weddings? When I ask people that question, I get many different responses. If you had a great wedding day, it was the best day of my life. Others say I only go for the food or booze. As a priest, I am there for the mass, and get to some of the receptions, but do not often stay very long. And some are just so tired of wedding cake they no longer go. Today’s gospel we can understand the symbolism. The King is God. He is giving a great banquet. We are invited!
Let us pause there a moment. I have heard people say that they think God is going to take everyone up to heaven. He would not turn anyone away. This gospel gives us insight into what will really happen. People who think God will take everyone into heaven forget that God loves us so much that He will not make us do anything against our will. Twice God invites people to come, everything is prepared for them. Surprisingly, both times, they turn away with excuses. And the excuse they used then would be just as applicable for people today. Now the question is why would God want to make someone go to heaven for the banquet when they really do not want to be there? So, for those people there is only one other option.
What is the problem with the guy without a wedding garment? It is inevitable, and it happens frequently at weddings, but there are people who try come to the reception without an invitation. They do not know the people getting married nor do they want to know them. When someone comes to the reception it is to celebrate the couple getting married. When we come to the great banquet of God it is because we want to be there to give glory to God. If that is not our desire, to worship God, we will be found out and thrown out.
May the Lord bless you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen