'No-Shows'

~~~ Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~~~

~~~ Isaiah 25:6-10A ~~~ Psalm 23 ~~~  Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20 ~~~

~~~ Matthew 22:1-14 ~~~ 

The king has prepared a lavish banquet.
There is just one problem the invited guests are no shows.
For whatever reason those who had received a personal invitation
 to the party decided they had better things to do that day.

They did not even have the courtesy to let the king
know they were not attending.

The king does not become discouraged
 he sends word that the feast has already
been prepared to honor his son.
What is he to do with all of the rich food?

Then he said to his servants, 'The feast is ready,
but those who were invited were not worthy to come. 

The king was determined to have the palace filled
with guests to celebrate with his son.
Finally he sends out his servants
to bring into the palace anyone they can find.

They went out into the streets
and gathered all they found, bad and good alike...
Everyone came, the king was pleased, the hall
was filled with guests for the feast.

If this parable is about the kingdom of heaven
then we see the extravagant measures God will go to.
He invites all to the banquet of his love.
Some ignore, some refuse, but here the least likely
are the ones who respond to the invitation.

We are never worthy and we might not even be prepared
when the invitation from the Lord comes to us.
Many did respond even some who entered
with wrong attitudes or intentions.

The wedding garment might not be limited
 to specific items of clothing...
the wedding garment
 might be deep within our soul.
God sees our possibilities
not just our previously proven abilities.

In Paul's letter to the Philippians he writes of his reliance upon God.

I can do all things in him who strengthens me.

The guests came to the feast from the streets...they were
 relying on the generosity of the king. 

They could come to this special feast because of the king.

We can enter into the kingdom of heaven because of God.
Those who chose to ignore the invitation did not believe
 they needed the generosity of the king...
perhaps they were mistaken.

The king found cause to have one guest removed...
Jesus found one who was to betray him right
within his intimate circle of disciples.

The Lord prepares a banquet for us.
He sends out the invitation over and over again.
Those who rely on him for his grace and guidance
are the ones who enjoy the rich food.
They are the ones who are welcomed at the table
 to eat and drink with the king.
They are the ones who follow the shepherd.

There is nothing we can do without the blessings
 of the hand of the Lord.
Come to the feast with humility;
 you will see the goodness of the Lord.

~~~Believe~~~

I can do all things in him who strengthens me.

~~~Peace~~~

The Invitation

~~~ Saint Pius X, Pope ~~~

~~~ Ezekiel 36:23-28 ~~~ Psalm 51 ~~~ Matthew 22:1-14 ~~~

Have you ever failed to RSVP before attending a party?

Have you just ignored an invitation just because

 a better invitation came in the mail? 

Have you ever received an invitation to an event

 that you really had no interest in attending at all?

Have you ever just completely

 threw an invitation into the trash can?

The king planned a grand party. 

He sent out invitations to all the most distinguished guests.

As the hour for the festivities draws close the guests were not arriving.

He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast,

but they refused to come.

Why do you suppose they did not want to come?

He had his servants prepare the best possible foods.

A second time he sends out his servants

 to give the guests a preview of the menu.

But still they refused to attend the king's party.

They were being called to party with the king

 but found reasons for not showing up.

If this king just happened to be God or Jesus, do you think 

they might have had a different response?

So often this is exactly the case; Jesus is sending his invitations

 out to us and we toss them aside.

We ignore them...we pretend they never came...we busy

 ourselves with less important matters.

God extends an open invitation for us to come to his home for the feast.

The king eventually scraped his guest list 

and invited the street people to his celebration.

The servants went out into the streets

and gathered all they found, bad and good alike,

and the hall was filled with guests.

Where would you place yourself?

Is your name on the guest list or did you get invited off of the street?

There is just one thing...if you do get invited to come to the feast

 you must be dressed properly.

The wedding garment for the heavenly feast

 is one of a repentant heart.

You must come ready with a clean heart

 one free from all hatred and evil.

One must be clothed in the fabrics of love, compassion, 

patience, kindness, forgiveness 

and all other qualities of finer goodness.

There will be no place at the wedding feast for those

 who come unwilling to live a life of love.

Blessings come...open your invitation...

RSVP...dress up...

show up...

it is the grand feast.

~~~ Peace ~~~

Guess Who Came to Dinner?

~~~ Genesis 23:1-4, 19; 24:1-8, 62-67 ~~~ Psalm 106 ~~~ Matthew 9:9-13 ~~~

 

 “Follow me.”

Today we are given another example of someone

 chosen by Jesus to follow him...

Matthew was a despised tax collector. Tax collectors are rarely

looked upon kindly.

This is one more example of Jesus calling without judging.

The who witnessed this invitation were quick to judge.

Matthew not only got up and left his job;

he also immediately welcomed Jesus into his home.

They shared a meal together along with some friends of Matthew.

Understandably, Matthew's friends were in the same

if not similar occupation.

Matthew means gift of God.

Matthew brought the gift of God to his friends and co-workers.

 

Jesus now has the opportunity to touch the lives

of those who come to dinner.

Those who come by invitation from Matthew.

Jesus now had several others he could influence with his kindness.

Jesus did not judge those who came to dinner that day, but others did.

This is true today as well, Jesus accepts all who come to him

even if they were invited by someone else.

 

This is what evangelization is all about...

we are called to invite others to follow Jesus.

 

In the midst of criticism, Jesus makes a profound proclamation.

“Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do...

It may be true that those who are well do not need a physician,

 but those who are well need to maintain their health.

We have the Eucharist to help us maintain the health of our soul.

We have the sacrament of reconciliation

 to maintain the health of our heart.

 

 

...Go and learn the meaning of the words,
I desire mercy, not sacrifice.
I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.”

 

We have a merciful and just God.

A God slow to anger.

When you come to know God you also come to understand

 his mercy and forgiveness.

No matter how many times we fail; Jesus is always willing

to forgive us and take us back into his loving care.

Jesus came for us...we are among those he calls sinners.

 

When Jesus comes to dine in your heart do as Matthew did...

invite your friends to join with you at table.

If they come to know you they will surely also come to know Jesus.

 

Jesus accepted Matthew's invitation to dine with him in his home.

He came to witness God's acceptance and mercy.

Matthew quickly responded to the direct call of Jesus.

When you are being called to follow Jesus there is no confusion...

 

Jesus often used parables to teach his point of view,

but when he calls his disciples it is not in the context of a story.

Jesus uses few words when he calls you to follow him.

All we need do is respond affirmatively.

 

Blessings found in the call and in the dinner invitation.

Our Blessings come in reaching out to others. 

 

“The only difference between saints and sinners

is that every saint has a past while every sinner has a future. ”

Oscar Wilde

Consider Me Excused?

~~~ Philippians 2:5-11 ~~~ Psalm 22 ~~~ Luke 14: 15-24 ~~~

 

 

"...though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself..."

 

What does it mean to 'empty oneself'?

I am sure we could have a lively discussion around those two words.

Just the word empty by itself has vast implications.

We use the word empty in so many contexts.

We empty the trash, the dishwasher, the bathtub etc.

We empty things in the kitchen, the bathroom, the garage...

we even empty bladder and intestines.

But Jesus in order to become human had to empty himself of his

'Godness' perhaps even his Divinity.

He had to become one of us.

 

Would you be willing to become an ant to save all of the ants in the world?

I doubt you would.

That may be an outlandish example,

but humans are certainly no comparison to being God.

 

Jesus emptied himself, while retaining the qualities of

who he actually was; God the Son.

 

He knew why the Father sent him to be among us.

He knew he was sent to do the will of the Father.

Doing the will of the Father required his giving us parables in hopes

we would grasp the essence of the message.

The banquet story is one he chose to implement.

 

Is your social calendar so full of engagements that you have

no time left for God?

 

Luke writes today about the many excuses we can find

to keep ourselves from the presence of God.

Perhaps it is more comfortable to busy ourselves with other things.

Perhaps it is easier to give our attention to those things

which appear to be more pressing.

 

Taking care of property, and your animals seems to be valid concerns.

But perhaps the most worthy of your attention would be your spouse.

Each person invited had the same request...

'consider me excused'

 

In all my years of teaching I certainly received many excuses

for why a student should miss class or be given extra time.

And also excuses for why an assignment was not completed by the due date.

 

Some parents were quick to provide an excuse,

but some allowed their child to suffer the consequences

for their lack of action.

 

I think Jesus is making it pretty clear how he feels about excuses...

about how he will react when you refuse his invitation.

 

 

God is not looking to grant you excuses.

While he is certainly merciful, kind, caring, and compassionate

 he is serious when it comes to your salvation.

He is serious about the path you must take to get to eternal life.

 

We would be horrified if God responded to our prayers with excuses...

 

Everyone is invited to the banquet of the Lord.

There will always be room for one more person.

I pray my actions will never imply for God...

to consider myself excused.

 

Empty yourself of those things which in the end do not

positively contribute to your relationship with God.

 

Remember,

God will never consider you excused from his desire to love you.