Word to the Wise
Thursday, August 21, 2008 - St. Pius X, pope
[Ezekiel 36:23-28 and Matthew 22:1-14]Many are invited, but few are chosen.
The parable of the wedding banquet would have been easy for Jesus' listeners and the subsequent early community to understand. Since in Jesus' day (and to some extent it is still true in the Middle East and probably truer in the West than we admit) like ate with like, the King would invite only the elite to his son's wedding feast. But it is clear that the elite invitees decided for whatever reasons to refuse the King and some were even violent in their refusal. These refusals insult the king and he is challenged to restore his "honor" after rejecting or punishing the original invitees. The way he chooses, however, is surprising. He invites the "non-elite" to come to the banquet. But even in the case of the non-elite, there was one who attempted to cause shame by not showing up in a wedding garment. He, too, is cast out. The parable pits Jesus' authority against the elite authorities of his own day. They shun the invitation to discipleship offered by Jesus. They were the chief priests and elders in Jerusalem, where this parable is preached. However, the invitation still stands to everyone now. There are some like the "New Atheists" (Hitchins, Dawkins, Harris) who are blatently contemptuous of religious faith. There are others who are indifferent. Still others who worship scientific technology or embrace a form of secular humanism. Last but not least are those Christians who think that they only have to "show up." Perhaps we should ask about our own response to Jesus' invitation. To be invited to his banquet is to be placed on a level far more than we could achieve by our own efforts. If we are excluded, it is not the fault of Jesus. His invitation is demanding but nobody can equal the banquet he puts on! AMEN
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