The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

10-04-2020Weekly Reflection

Israel finally overcomes the burdens of their guilt, their unfaithfulness to the “covenant.” At the eternal banquet, all of Israel invited to the Holy Mountain, where Yahweh is declared King of all nations. First to be invited are the chosen people Israel. Those invited could not come: everyone has an excuse; thus, those finally invited are people in the streets. But those who came are expected to respect the protocol in a wedding banquet. There is a “dress code” at the wedding banquet. The independent theme of the 2nd reading tells us about the value of a gift. Paul appreciated so much the help of the brethren at Philippi. The giver is a “sweet odor for God” and makes the person rich for the giving.

God’s Invitation: Eternal Banquet

1. The Invitation - Jesus uses this parable to explain to His listeners that the Kingdom of God is like a wedding banquet. Israel was the first to be invited as the chosen people of God. Yahweh sends messengers at different times throughout the centuries through the prophets, John the Baptist last among them. But the people of Israel did not listen to them and even killed some of them. The Son came, but they did not listen to Him, killed Him, and threw Him out of the city, at Mt. Calvary.

2. A Banquet is a celebration – Matthew believes the siege and the destruction of Jerusalem (70 AD) was a punishment for rejecting the invitation of the Lord (Mt. 22:7). The parable shows us the invitation to the banquet, to the Kingdom of God is unmerited grace. Those invited do not deserve the invitation, purely out of God’s goodness and generosity, a favor that we can refuse because we have free will. But when God invites us to a celebration, He expects us to accept it because it is for us, He shares His joy and celebrates with us.

3. The invited – a. The first to be invited refused, no reason given, and are not interested. These are people who believe that religion will do nothing for them. For these people, life is a serious business. One must use one’s time well. Others live in luxury and don’t need religion. b. The very busy people: who have no time to listen and answer God’s call. Time is money: the Sundays are used to visit friends, family, and business prospects and prepare for the incoming week. They are self-sufficient; life is good and has to continue.

4. Those who came are the beggars, crippled, blind, and lame, those in the main roads whoever the servants would find. These people never expected to be invited to the banquet. Many of them are conscious of their unworthiness, know their spiritual poverty, and God’s invitation as pure grace for which a beggar can only ask. People who are honest enough to admit that they do not have any credentials to be invited to the Kingdom. But God invited them just the same.

5. An Inclusive Invitation – The invitation to the Wedding Banquet was first exclusive for the chosen people Israel but soon became inclusive, open to all because those first invited rejected the invitation. Last Sunday’s Gospel showed that God is generous, unbelievably generous. (Mt. 20:16) “The last will be first, and the first will be last.” God has a big heart for His invitation to us and for preparing a feast for us. Let us not snub or belittle His generous, inclusive, and sincere invitation.