Isaiah 25:6-10a

Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20

Matthew 22:1-14

Accepting the Invitation

The readings for this Sunday center on God’s universal invitation to God’s own heavenly banquet and the response required of all disciples. The context is set in a parable that shows the growing tension between Jesus and the Jewish religious leaders in Jerusalem. Jesus uses the parable about an invitation to a wedding feast to show this tension which we have already seen for the past two Sundays.

The first guests invited to the wedding feast refuse the invitation, as do the second group. With the invited guests no longer worthy to attend the king’s wedding feast, the servants are sent to invite whomever they can find. One of the guests who attended failed to dress in the appropriate wedding attire and is cast out of the feast. Jesus shares the Parable of the Wedding Feast, to show his listeners that while everyone is invited to God’s kingdom, not everyone gets to attend. There are obligations involved. We, the guests, must actively live out our faith and wear the “wedding garment” of love, imitating the way Jesus lived.

To accept the invitation is also to accept its obligations. God wants our full commitment, our willing conversion to live in such a way that we will be welcome guests at the heavenly banquet. We will share in the rich foods and choice wines mentioned in the first reading. Here on earth, if we give ourselves to Christ, we share in the meal that is the Eucharist, the bread and wine that become the Body and Blood of Christ, the food for our soul.

How willing are you to accept the invitation of Jesus to be a guest at his heavenly banquet, an invitation that calls for a commitment to be a committed disciple?

What may prevent you from wearing the wedding garment that signals your willingness to be a committed disciple?