Matthew 22:1-14 

1 Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. 4 Again he sent other slaves, saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.’ 5 But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, 6 while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9 Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’ 10 Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad, so the wedding hall was filled with guests.   11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, 12 and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless. 13 Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.” Good things have been prepared for you. The invitation has been sent out to you and Jesus is waiting to greet you at the door. 

Again we have a parable that is told pointedly to & about the religious leaders. It is a word to us all of course. The story is mean to illuminate how it is that God rules, how God makes His authority felt and gives a challenge for how one is to respond to the outpouring of grace which comes from God. We are told of this king who gives a wedding banquet to celebrate his own son’s marriage. Those citizens who had been invited made light of this royal invitation and did not come, even after they had been informed that a very special meal was prepared and ready. Some of them showed their contempt for the invite by mistreating the king’s messengers and killed them. Their ingratitude was punished. But the celebration would go ahead for the king meant to honor his son and rejoice with his people. So all those in the streets were gathered together, regardless of their background and reputations. The hall was filled with people. All were provided with a wedding robe. Except one man who went in without donning a robe. He either refused the robe offered or assumed he was just fine without it. 

We, who believe in God, receive invitations from God to live, celebrate, and respond in ways that align with God’s purpose of showing love, and bringing peace, justice and abundance. There are many distractions in life that interfere with our commitment to God’s grace in Christ. This parable warns against our complacency within the church and makes us aware that the self-absorption of sinners, who take faith for granted, can sorely try God’s patience. We are to “put on Christ”, to clothe ourselves with the garments of his self-giving and grace. We are meant to wear the robe of compassion and kindness. 

In these days, we may find ourselves becoming irritated by the callous disregard of others, their rude behaviors, and impatience. Hear this story of a customer who found a place of peace and serenity in, of all places, her dry-cleaners shop. She writes:   "[They are open] for drop-off and pick-up six days a week, 7 a.m.-6 p.m. The same couple has run it for decades; they seem to work all 66 hours, through a maze of moving hangers and mechanical escalators up to cleaner heaven. Somehow, whether it is 7:01 a.m. or 5:59 p.m., humid or icy outside, they sustain a cheerful serenity with each other. A customer enters rushed or ill-spirited, dragging a heavy soiled coat behind, yet leaves a few minutes later feeling lightened of more than fiberfill. When one or the other proprietor wishes me a pleasant day, I believe it. I believe because I am already having it. “It is something in their calm air which makes me want to pull up a chair and linger. It's not the décor. It's not the bowl of lollypops or Munchkins on Saturday morning for those who pop in with kneepads and parents before soccer practice. Those are material trappings. They can't fool anyone out of irritability into serenity . . .  "[It's] profoundly simple. Irritability is effortless: the natural, default state of now. Happiness is not. So, You should plan for it . . . you must make [time] for it. I find it at the dry cleaner, with its ever-present, serenely compatible couple. This seems so little to ask, for so much you receive."   [From Elissa Ely, in The Boston Globe, August 3, 2017.] 

These two cleaners possess a special "coat" of their own: a "coat" of welcome, of joy, of generosity that is a sign to all who enter their shop that the wedding banquet of God has begun here and now. God's grace is the thread which can be sewn together as pieces of the "fabric" of our lives create a coat of joy and optimism, of kindness and generosity, of gratitude and respect. They make of our lives a proper garment for God's wedding feast - a feast that can begin in our own homes and workplaces. Notice that the man who was removed from the party, because he wore no robe, was speechless when he was confronted. He had received a welcome to join and been invited to the feast. He responded and came inside. But when he was asked to account for his presence without a robe; he had nothing to say for himself. He gave no word of thanks, he offered no explanation that he had misunderstood the need for a robe, and he gave no request for mercy or expressed any remorse - there was only silence. We are being reminded that we should consider what our response will be, if we are found without that robe to cover us. 

Jesus would have us think about His providence. He invites all to his feast and gives a welcome. Do not doubt the importance of this feast! Do we place value on this gift? What worth do you place on the forgiveness you receive? What significance do you give on this love from God? Does it have such importance for you that your whole way of life is rearranged as a response? When you come to the Table, you are receiving the very body and blood of Christ which provides forgiveness of your sin and offers you life and salvation. You may have helped pay for the bread and wine but the life-giving nourishment is a free b`enefit of the feasting. The invitation has been sent, come when you are called.