zebra long wing taken oct 9 2005

 

October 9, 2005

Mt 22:1-14
Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and 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 he 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.
The king 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."
The guest was not properly dressed for the wedding feast. What is the proper garment? Last night at the vespers reading, we heard a homily by St Augustine on this gospel reading. According to St Augustine, the proper garment is not baptism because many are baptized but not all who are baptized follow God's call. The proper garment is love. I was repeatedly confused about the meaning of this reading. It seemed harsh to expect so much of a guest who was at the last minute invited to the feast. How would he ever have had time to obtain the proper wedding garment? That he should have love as the proper garment makes sense. It does not require the preparation time or means so much as an open heart. It is a perfect parable. The way to heaven is simple. Many are invited but few are chosen.

I pray that the ears of my heart are open to the invitation of God and that I respond with an open and giving spirit.