ARE WE WAITING FOR GOD TO MAKE A MIRACLE OR FOLLOWING JESUS’ SUMMON TO THE WEDDING FEAST?

“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. . . .'” Matthew 22:1-14

This Gospel story has always bothered me for many reasons, the first being that I feel so much compassion for the story’s king who wants to make his son’s wedding a joyous celebration of people he thought cared about him and his family.  What a rude awakening to find that these “friends” and “relatives” don’t care enough to want to be there!

I know this is the point of the story:  the chief priests (and us, too), whom God created and endowed with the capacity to reciprocate his love by our loving him, instead, on so many occasions snub him by centering our love and joy on our own temporarily satisfying agendas. Which is better:  a life in the world we have created for ourselves or a life that blesses itself by celebrating with the One who is our creator and, hopefully, the King of our hearts?

We tend to be more like the writer of the first reading who expects God to be the One who transforms our world into a fitting “House of the Lord.” Jesus asks us to join our true King in the Lord’s house for an everlastingly satisfying wedding feast celebrating our union with all in the King’s family.

Transform us, O Lord.

Sister Loretta