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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."

Theme

There is an expression that says "Rome wasn't built in a day." Certainly nothing truly worthwhile or valuable occurs instantaneously. Profitable positions at work, special personal relationships, and achievement of life goals are not completed overnight; they require day-to-day effort and watchfulness. Persistence in all that we do is essential for achievement. Attainment of union with God requires an equal amount of perseverance. We cannot rest assured that our baptism has secured for us a place in God's Kingdom. It is only a start; we must continue to grow, from acceptance of God's initial call to its full realization at the hour of death.

Spiritual Food For The Journey

"If today you do not succeed, try, try again." Great events in human history that were successful on the first try are few and far between, while those which required prolonged effort and multiple attempts predominate. During the era of exploration brave and adventuresome people ventured forth in efforts to discover new lands and people. The discovery and conquest of the New World took a couple hundred years; the task was started in 1492 with Christopher Columbus but was not completed until the cry of Manifest Destiny prompted settlement of the American West. Science has advanced over time through trial and error. Experimentation is the lifeblood of technical advancement. Even something as simple as cooking and baking requires multiple initiatives; the perfect apple pie was not created on the first attempt.

The Christian life requires perseverance and persistence. Our journey to God will not be satisfied with a simple "yes" today to the Lord's call; we must renew our efforts each day in order to maintain our position on the road and not lose our way. In order not to lose sight of the goal we seek there is a need for all Christians to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus and to center ourselves on his message. Vigilance and preparedness for the final call of God is also essential. We may think we have time, but such may not be the case. The great saints were close to God, but it wasn't easy; they had to work at it daily. Their first efforts at developing a relationship with God were just that -- a first attempt. They found God only through perseverance and persistence. We who seek union with God must possess a similar attitude and exercise comparable actions.

The idea of being persistent and doing it consistently must be our attitude of life. God sends us many challenges; we need to be persistent in meeting them. Saint Luke says that the reason Jesus told the parable of the corrupt judge and the widow (18:1-8) was to make a point to his disciples -- they were to pray always and never to lose heart. This must be our first lesson in perseverance. We need to spend time in prayer with our God each day. We can make no excuses that we are too busy or time just slipped away. If we are persistent we can make time for prayer. We need to do this, for it is through prayer that we find the strength and the courage to face and overcome the obstacles and difficulties that many times invade, we may even think at times plague, our life.

Another lesson in perseverance comes from the Pastoral epistles. Saint Paul writes to his friend Timothy (2 Timothy 4:2) and tells him, "I solemnly urge you: proclaim the message; be persistent whether the time is favorable or unfavorable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience in teaching." We encounter many teachers along the road of life.
Parents, relatives, mentors, educators, coaches, and others have been given a special ministry to teach. They are to do it whether it is convenient or inconvenient; they are never to lose heart. It is a difficult task to which all who bear the name of Christian are called. It is the perseverance that teachers show that will one day be demonstrated by those to whom they minister.

Let us also remember, however, that we do not take up this often difficult task alone. Baptism calls us to minister to God's people by exercising our faith. In baptism we become children of God. In baptism, also, we become members of a community. That community calls each individual to help the whole group find the unseen God and answer the challenges which come our way. When we work together we can better negotiate the hurdles and obstacles, make straight the crooked paths, and find the hidden way.

Application Of The Parable To Contemporary Life

Sermon Openings
1. He was born to a pious German woman and her Lutheran pastor husband in 1875. With parents of erudition and raised in a Christian environment, it was not unexpected when he began to study theology and philosophy at the university. He was a brilliant student and achieved doctorates in both disciplines by the time he had reached his early twenties. As an academic he was well-known, especially in his immediate purview of colleagues. In 1910, however, he wrote a book, The Quest for the Historical Jesus. This was an effort at using historical criticism in application to the gospel narratives. The book made him an international celebrity in theology almost overnight.

At the top of his field, one might think it odd to change direction in life, but God called him to do something different, to dedicate himself to music. As a young man he had toyed with the idea of being a professional musician. Now, as he approached the age of forty, he began to tour the major European cities as a concert organist. His interpretation of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, both on the concert stage and on some of the first phonographic recordings, was unequaled in his day.

After conquering two different disciplines, theology and musical performance, God again called him to change directions in his life. This time the shift was a radical step -- he was called to become a medical missionary in Africa. The challenge would be great, but he went with confidence that all would be provided. French Equatorial Africa had only been "opened" by Christian missionaries a few decades previously. In the 1920s he established a hospital on the Ogoové River in the nation of Gabon. The facility served two functions: as a hospital which met the immediate needs of the local area, and as a leper sanitarium for the greater geographic region.

After laboring for more than thirty years in Africa as a doctor, the world officially recognized the contribution of Albert Schweitzer. In 1952 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The inscription read, "Granted on behalf of the brotherhood of nations."

Albert Schweitzer accepted several different calls from God. Each required his readiness; each required a certain sense of risk and possibly the need to change. But he went forward, with complete trust, that with God all would be provided.

If God invites, are you ready? This challenging question is posed by today's Gospel. In the parable we hear of God's call, its rejection, and the need always to be ready.

2. On the morning of June 19, 1971, Bill Mitchell was on top of the world. Riding his brand-new motorcycle to a job he loved, gripman on a San Francisco cable car, Bill seemed on cloud nine. Earlier that day he had soloed in an airplane for the first time, the fulfillment of one his fondest dreams. Twenty-eight -- handsome, healthy, and popular -- Bill was in his element.

In the flash of an eye Bill's whole world changed. Rounding a corner as he neared the cable car barn, Bill collided with a laundry truck. Gas from the motorcycle poured out and ignited through the heat of the engine. Bill emerged from the accident with a broken pelvis and elbow and burns over 65 per cent of his body.

The next six months were a period of great trial for Bill. After several blood transfusions, numerous operations, and many skin grafts, Bill was released from the hospital. Walking down the street he passed a school playground where the children stared at his face. "Look at the monster," they exclaimed. Although he was deeply hurt by the thoughtlessness of the children, he still had the love and compassion of friends and family, and the grace of a good personal philosophy on life. Bill realized that he did not have to be handsome to make a contribution to society. Success was in his hands if he chose to begin again.

Within a year of the accident Bill was moving again toward the success he enjoyed earlier. He began to fly planes. He moved to Colorado and founded a company that built wood stoves. Within no time Bill was a millionaire with a Victorian home, his own plane, and significant real estate holdings.

In November 1975, however, the bottom again fell out of Bill Mitchell's world. Piloting a turbocharged Cessna with four passengers onboard, Bill was forced to abort a take-off, causing the plane to drop about 75 feet like a rock back to the runway. Smoke filled the plane and, fearing that he would again be burned, Bill attempted to escape. Pain in his back and his inability to move his legs thwarted his efforts.

In the hospital again, Bill was informed that his thoracic vertebrae were crushed and the spinal cord was beyond repair. He would spend the rest of his life as a paraplegic. Although doubt began to invade his generally optimistic mind, Bill began to focus on the cans and not the cannots of his life. He decided to follow the advice of the German philosopher Goethe: "Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it." Before his accidents there were many things Bill could do. He could spend his time dwelling on what was lost or focus on what was left.

Since that 1975 plane accident Bill Mitchell has twice been elected mayor of his town, earned recognition as an environmental activist, and run for Congress. He has hosted his own television show and travels the nation speaking to groups about his message of proper attitude, service, and transformation. Bill's message is to show people that it isn't what happens to you that is important, but what you do about it that makes all the difference.

Bill Mitchell's experience is not typical, but it does present an example of one who triumphed over the greatest of adversities. It was his attitude of perseverance and positive outlook that kept him going, even in the darkest nights of his life. The parable of the wedding guests challenges us to exhibit a similar attitude.

Points Of Challenge And Questions To Ponder

1. Do we accept the invitations extended to us by God? Are we open to the possibility of God in our lives or do we close ourselves off from the challenges God sends our way?

2. The invitation of God may require us to change. Are we flexible enough to alter our schedule and likes and dislikes to accommodate the needs of others?

3. Being children of God is a great privilege. Are we willing to accept and carry out the responsibility that comes with this great privilege? Do we want everything from God without any commitment on our part?

4. How persistent are we to the tasks life brings our way? Do we give up easily? When adversity strikes do we "throw in the towel" and give up?

5. Are we willing to do what is necessary to complete tasks or are we always looking for the easy way out? Do we understand that anything in life of any great value is worthy of our best efforts?

Exegesis And Explanation Of The Parable

The parable of the wedding feast is the last in a series of passages that respond to the challenge brought against Jesus' authority by the religious leaders of the day. These parables were preached during the Lord's last week on earth when he experienced concealed hostility from the Pharisees, chief priests, and elders as they laid traps to catch Jesus in his teaching. Like the other two parables, judgment is the principal idea in this passage, but a noticeable difference exists here with the introduction of judgment on Christians.

Matthew's parable has been viewed by Scripture scholars as an allegory of salvation history. The king is God, the wedding feast represents the Messianic banquet, and those sent to invite the guests are God's prophets, including Christian missionaries. The reference to the mistreatment of the king's slaves recalls the tradition of Israel's violent treatment of God's prophets. The burning of the rebels' city is a reference to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 AD, an event which Christians regarded as God's punishment upon Israel for its rejection of Jesus and the gospel. The invitation offered to others, bad and good, signifies the church's mission to the Gentiles. Matthew's depiction of the wedding feast being prepared for the king's son makes it especially clear that he is thinking of the culmination of salvation history in Jesus. This eschatological feature is most observable when the whole passage, verses 1-14, is examined as a unit.

Although allegory seems adequately to explain the people and events of the parable, this passage is filled with ideas that are totally inconceivable. It is hardly believable that a king would have conformed to the custom of the common citizenry of sending word to invited guests that a banquet was ready. It is possible that a blunt refusal of the invitation may have been given by invited guests, but hardly likely that servants would have been mishandled or killed. It is even more inconceivable that the king would send a second set of slaves when the first are treated so poorly. Why would a king take time to destroy a people and their city when a feast was prepared? Exegetes see verses 6 and 7 to be a later interpolation in the narrative (reference to the 70 AD destruction of Jerusalem) that originally passed from verse 5 to 8.

Matthew's purpose in this parable is at least twofold. First, this pericope illustrates the rejection of Israel and warns the Christian community against the same mistake. The invitation to the banquet is God's call to salvation, but many have refused. For those who reject the call judgment will follow. The assumption has always been that the people want to attend the feast, but when the invitation is extended their unwillingness to follow is revealed. This parable also speaks of preparedness. Devout Jews had decided many centuries before to follow God's lead and to surrender earthly gain, but at the very moment when the invitation to the feast of salvation is extended, the people are not ready. They think there is plenty of time to take care of all things; the feast will come later. Their lack of readiness will cost them the goal they seek. The parable speaks of an invitation to joy, but those invited do not find their way to the feast, while those on the outside are the unexpected guests that were open to the call and have found eternal life.

While some scholars see unity, as introduced above, in verses 1-14, most exegetes divide this pericope into two units: the wedding feast, verses 1-10, and the unworthy guest, verses 11-14. In the first half the failure of Israel to accept God's invitation to salvation as extended by Jesus and the gospel is highlighted. Verses 11-14, however, are a clear admonition to the Christian community to be prepared for the invitation that has now been extended to them. These latter verses reaffirm the original invitation and warning, but they go further and challenge Christians not to be complacent. Scholars suggest that this apparent addition to the original was made by Matthew to dispel false interpretations of the free grace of God. Some people of the day mistakenly held the view that the baptized were free from moral responsibility, because of the reception of God's grace. In order to remove any ground upon which such a misunderstanding could lie, the parable of the unworthy guest was added to the parable of the wedding feast. Matthew thus introduced the principal of merit and emphasized the necessity for repentance as the condition of acquittal at the Last Judgment. Verses 11-14 reflect the self-understanding of the church and its need to adapt messages to actual conditions, including the new missionary activity of the Christian community.

This parable, as it is presented in Matthew, may be a derivative of a Jewish parable of the Rabbi Jochanan (d. 80 AD). In this story a king invited his servants to a feast. The clever ones got dressed up while the foolish ones went about their work. When the feast was suddenly announced, the foolish servants arrived in their working clothes. The king in anger declares, "They shall not eat of my feast." Matthew may have adapted this story in order to achieve his basic end of demonstrating Jesus' authority as well as interjecting an admonition to the community, through the reference to the destruction of Jerusalem. Since the entire structure of chapters 21 through 25 in Matthew's Gospel is an admonition to the Jewish community, it is probable that the evangelist intentionally adopted this Jewish rabbinic tale to demonstrate the need for preparedness in the community for the coming of the Lord.

Some scholars understand verses 11-14 as an allegory that challenges Christians to persevere in conformance to the gospel message. On first examination this pericope is offensive to our sensibilities -- why is a poor man so badly treated simply because he does not have the proper clothing? One answer is found if the wedding feast is understood to be the age to come, not the church, and the required garment is righteousness, that is, behavior in accordance with Jesus' teaching. The poor man accepted the invitation, but he refused to conform his life to the gospel. Thus, he is bound hand and foot by servants, representative of God's angels, and cast into the darkness, understood as Gehenna, to wail and grind his teeth.

The parable of the unworthy guest is clearly an illustration of the Last Judgment. The evangelist is demonstrating how it is possible to accept the invitation but not be present. One can be present in body but not in heart and mind. "Called" means merely accepting the initial invitation, but "chosen" asks for perseverance to the end. Those called by God must not look on their invitation as something that is their right. Rather, the call must be renewed each day. When the call no longer shapes one's life or makes it festive, it is removed immediately. The invitation to the banquet must be demonstrated in how one lives life. Matthew is thus exhorting Christians not to lose what they have gained. The summons may come at any time; preparedness is essential to find eternal life.

Context Of The Parable

Context In The Church Year

The parables of the wedding feast and unworthy guest conclude five consecutive weeks of teachings by Jesus. The limitless forgiveness and compassion of God is tempered in these teachings by Jesus' indictment and rejection of Israel and the need for the Christian community as well to be ready when God's call to the feast of eternal life is extended. These teachings as a whole illustrate the privilege and responsibility of the Christian life. God is ever present to show us the correct road and to demonstrate forgiveness and understanding when through sin we remove ourselves from the correct path. But Jesus expects us to do our share; we have responsibility to persevere in rough times and never to abandon the hope and drive that will lead us home to God. Thus, in this week's parable Jesus concludes a lengthy set of lessons that, taken as a whole form, a mini-package of privilege and responsibility as followers of Jesus. We cannot be true disciples unless we are willing to accept God's presence and to participate as fully as we can in building the Kingdom of God in our world.

Context With Other Gospels

The parable of the wedding feast is presented in the Gospels of Luke (14:16-24) and Thomas (Saying 64) as well as Matthew. Scholars believe that Luke and Matthew both utilized the Q source for this parable, for the content and message are the same. Each evangelist, however, uses completely different structures and presents vastly different details. Matthew has embellished the original parable and made it into an allegory for salvation history. In the versions of Luke and Thomas (which parallels Luke closely) there is no mention of a king or that the dinner is a wedding banquet for a son. In these versions the invitation is described briefly, but the excuses rendered by the invited guests are presented with greater detail. Scholars understand the flat refusal of the invitation, as presented in Matthew, as the evangelist's case for Israel's rejection.

Exegetes believe that Luke's version is closest to the original which finds its origins with Jesus. The absence in Luke and Thomas of the parable of the unworthy guest is more evidence that this is a Matthean addition presented to voice the evangelist's warning to the Christian community of its need to continue to persevere throughout and not merely answer the initial call.

Context With First And Second Lessons
First Lesson: Isaiah 25:1-9. The Prophet Isaiah describes a feast provided by God of rich food and choice wines. God will not only provide a great banquet of food, the Lord will wipe away tears and destroy death. Written to the Hebrews before their exile to Babylon, this passage speaks of what God will do for those who persevere and follow the call to holiness. The promise of God was extended through the prophet, but as we know, the invitation to the banquet was not heeded. We will not enjoy the full fruits of God's mercy and compassion unless we are willing to listen and heed God's message. The lesson of the exile should be ample warning for us that action and responsibility must accompany the privilege of faith we share.

Second Lesson: Philippians 4:1-9. Saint Paul exhorts the Christian community at Philippi to stand firm in the Lord and to live according to what God has taught us through Jesus Christ. Paul realized from his own experience the difficulty Christians felt in holding fast to what they believed, yet he knew it was imperative for any who wanted to return home to God. The apostle's advice to his friends is to rejoice and to dismiss all anxiety from their minds. In this way it will be easier to find God's peace and to be wholly directed to what is true and deserves respect.

Perseverance in the ways of God is no easier today than in Paul's time. We may not have the threat of persecution, but we have many more outside influences and distractions that draw our attention away from where it should be. Concentrating on God is easier if we can rejoice in the ordinary things we do each day. Rejoicing assists us in our mission to find Christ. We, therefore, must be as joyful as we can and celebrate God's presence in our lives. Such a positive attitude will lead us home one day to union with God.