The Invited Ones

 

Gospel: Matthew 22: 1-14

The focus ordinarily in this Gospel passage often revolves around two points.  The first is a focus on the man without a wedding garment and how important it is to be clothed in the baptismal garment to be in the banquet hall of the Lord.  The second is with those original invited ones, but here the message is that it was a reference to the people of Israel and how their invitation was taken away and given to others due to how they received the invitation.  But in both cases we typically think of others as to whom Jesus is speaking, not ourselves.

But consider these people who rejected the invitation of the King and how they maltreated the messengers who announced the invitation to one and all.  How often are the voices who welcome all and invite everyone to the banquet condemned and reviled for such a message? They consider the invitation as only for themselves and not for others; the invitation stifled for many, and the banquet hall not filled to the King's dismay.  

The Lord invites all to the banquet.  If there are few at the table, it is not the fault of the generous king who invited all to attend.  It will be our fault for preventing others from attending, for considering them not worthy of an invitation.  It may be that we will find ourselves without a seat.  We may have a baptismal garment - we may have gone through the ritual, but have we lived it?  We have taken God's mercy, but have we shared it with others?