Sunday Series: October 12, 2014

Last week I wrote about how the vineyard resembled the covenant that God has with his children and about how it was taken from the unfaithful tenants and given to those who would be faithful. In this week's Gospel we have a continuation of this theme but from a different angle.

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

Once again we see a story representing the way God's covenant was originally rejected by those He had made it with. The people who were originally invited were the Jewish people. The King sought to bless his people by inviting them to the wedding feast of his son. It was a completely free gift, but the people either thought they had something better to do or held a grudge against the King when they had his servants put to death. The servants represent the prophets whom the Jews rejected. God calls people into covenant with him because he loves them and wants to be with them, but the gifts of grace and joy do not take effect when the people constantly turn their back on God.

The second half of the Gospel ushers in an example of the New Covenant. After the King had dealt with those who had rejected his invitation, he sent his servants (the 12 Apostles) to gather anyone they could find (Gentiles and Jews alike). All are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb, but not all will come. The Lord blesses us with his invitation. It is up to us to accept his wedding invitation, and when we accept it we must be in the right state.

Now we come to the man without a wedding garment. The wedding garment represents our heart. This man's reasons for showing up to the feast were not right. When in Covenant with God, God blesses us, but we must also seek to bless God. We cannot come to the feast just for the benefits. We cannot love God just for what he can give us. We must love God for who he is. We must give of ourselves to the one who ultimately gave everything for us. When we are in mortal sin or when we are only seeking the benefits, we are not wearing a wedding garment.

Let us examine ourselves and see where we stand. Are we wearing our wedding garments? Many are invited but few will be chosen. Many call themselves Christian, but few become other Christs.