From the desk of Deacon Tim Schulz

“The Invitation”

If we sit and read today’s gospel prayerfully, we will notice that the King stands for God, The wedding feast stands for the kingdom of God. The invited guests stand for the chosen people, who made a covenant with God. And finally, the substitute guests stand for the sinners and the Gentiles of Jesus’ time. They are the people who accepted Jesus after God’s chosen people rejected Him.

The parable of the wedding feast is about our response to God’s call. It cautions us first of the dangers of indifference. When the Father invites us into a relationship with His Son, we can either choose to respond or we can quietly decline the invitation and go back to our personal pursuits as though nothing has changed and no new demands have been placed on our lives.

Another danger brought to our attention is indignation. Many people fight the idea that we are all sinners in need of salvation. In such cases, the good news and its call for repentance can seem like a threat to our happiness and our deepest desires for fulfillment in life. This can put us on the defensive and even provoke a hostile response toward those who challenge us with claims of Christ.

Finally, the parable warns us against incomplete conversion. The man without the wedding garment had neither ignored nor refused the invitation to the feast. But his yes to the call of God was not carried through in his life. He wanted the good things of the kingdom, but not enough to break away from his sinful ways and live as a committed disciple.

God invites brothers and sisters, to take some time in prayer this week to reflect on how we are answering the invitation to the wedding feast and us. Is our answer a yes, and then later on we don’t follow through; or do we say no to the request because the things of this world are more attractive to us? God so loved the world that He sent His only Son to save each and every one of us from sin and death. What will you do with your invitation?

May the peace of Christ be with you all!!