Thursday of the 20th Week in Ordinary Time

In today’s Gospel we have jumped from Matthew Chapter 20 to 22 and our parable is in many ways more allegory than parable. It is not unrelated to yesterday’s gospel about resentment at God’s generosity to latecomers in the Kingdom. Today it’s more about sadness over the Jewish leaders’ unwillingness to accept Jesus as Messiah and Lord.
         
The king (God) gives a banquet (the happiness of the messianic age) for his son (Jesus). But those he invites (the Jews) refuse to come and some even attacked his servants (the prophets and the early Christians.)
         
Because the invited guests won’t come, the servants (the Jewish disciples of Jesus) are sent out to bring in anyone they can find. We’re told they “gathered all they found, bad and good alike.” We’re all called to the Kingdom, both the good and the sinful.
         
At first glance the climax of the story seems unfair. People have been pulled in from the highways and byways but one of them is condemned for not having a wedding garment. Remember, this is an allegory. The garment stands not only for faith and baptism but also for a lived-out commitment to the Gospel, something necessary to be accepted into the eternal happiness of the Kingdom.
         
Jesus reminds us, “Many are invited, but few are chosen.” It is not enough for us just to go to the banquet, to be baptized and accept the “Christian” nametag. No, we also must live out in our relationships what we claim to be.

So, let us pray as individuals and as a Church that we may experience a constant renewal of heart and spirit so that we can effectively proclaim the Good News to our sisters and brothers.