The Parable of the Wedding Feast

Today's Reflections

The Parable of the Wedding Feast 

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Mt 22:1-14

¹Jesus spoke to [the chief priests and the Pharisees] in parables, saying, ²“The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. ³He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. ⁴A 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.” ’ ⁵Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. ⁶The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. ⁷The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. ⁸Then he said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. ⁹Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.’ ¹⁰The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. ¹¹But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. ¹²He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. ¹³Then 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.’ ¹⁴Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

Reflection:

Wedding feast. The parable signifies God’s constant call for our entry to his kingdom. Out of goodness and graciousness, God calls and chooses us. We do not have a claim or right to his call. He opens his kingdom to all regardless of social status or background. But God’s call entails a positive response through and through. We have to conform to God’s rules, ways, will.

Despite God’s goodness, man refuses. People can completely ignore the initial invitation by making petty excuses, attending only to their own affairs and needs. Then there are those who resort to violence, like what biblical people did to the prophets and missionaries. Last, some people just show up or attend without active, wholehearted participation. They do not wear the prescribed garment. It is lack of good deeds, backsliding to former sinful lives.

How have we responded to God’s call?

With conversion and change of heart?