He sent his servants to call the invited guests to the banquet, but the guests refused
to come. Again, he sent other servants, instructing them to say to the invited guests,
‘I have prepared a banquet, slaughtered my fattened calves and other animals, and
now, everything is ready. Come to the wedding!’ But they paid no attention and went
away, some to their farms, and some to their work. Others seized the servants of the
king, insulted them and killed them. The king was furious. He sent his troops to
destroy those murderers and burn their city. Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding
banquet is prepared, but the invited guests were not worthy. Go instead to the main
streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding feast.’ The servants went out into
the streets and gathered all they found, good and bad alike, so that the hall was filled
with guests. The king came in to see the wedding guests, and he noticed a man not
wearing a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in without
the wedding clothes?’ But the man remained silent. So the king said to his servants,
‘Bind his hands and feet and throw him into the outer darkness, where there is
weeping and gnashingo f teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Reflect

“Many are called, but few are chosen.” We can only be truly happy working in the
Lord’s vineyard when our life is being conformed to the values of his kingdom.
God invites us to enter into his kingdom. However, our entrance into it presupposes
our exercise of the kingdom values. Today’s Gospel puts emphasis on the challenge
to enter into God’s kingdom while striving to conform our life to a life worthy of the
kingdom of heaven. It tells of a king who offered a wedding banquet for his son.
All those who were invited refused the invitation. The king was angry. Eventually
he gave an order to invite those who were in the main streets because those who
were first invited were not worthy. Thus, the hall was filled with invited guests, good
and bad alike. When the king came to meet the invited guests, he saw a man who
was not wearing a wedding garment. He asked the man why he was not wearing
a wedding garment. The man remained silent. The king ordered his servants to
bind the man and throw him outside. He was thrown because he failed to conform
to what the occasion required.

© Copyright Bible Diary 2024