Thursday 19 August 2021

Today is Thursday the 19 August in the twentieth week of Ordinary time.

Ladysmith Black Mambazo sing Khayelihle Khaya Lami: ‘My beautiful home, where there is no more suffering or pain, where every tear will be wiped away…’ 

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 22:1-14

Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son.  He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come.  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.’  But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them.  The king was enraged.  He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.  Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy.  Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.’  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.  But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe,  and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?’ And he was speechless.  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.’  For many are called, but few are chosen."

It might feel like a very long time ago now, but how did you feel the last time you received an invitation to a party?  Excited? Pleased? Valued? Blessed? Maybe you were anxious? Or apprehensive… Did you go?  How do you feel about the idea that you are invited to a heavenly banquet, invited into the kingdom of heaven?

Everyone is invited to the heavenly banquet.  But many reject the invitation or don’t get round to accepting it. What does the invitation into the kingdom of heaven mean to you? …and how do you communicate that to others?

As you listen again can you get a sense of the king’s frustration, when his invitation is not taken seriously?

The history of humanity is a history of spurned invitations from God.  That might also be true for me.  Can you talk to God how about what he’s inviting you to, and how are you going to respond?

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.