1 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. 3 He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

4 “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

5 “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. 6 The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. 7 The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

8 “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9 So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ 10 So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and 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 wedding clothes. 12 He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.

13 “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”
Matthew 22:1-14

 Dear God, this story takes a turn. When I read it I expect it to be an indictment on the people who didn’t come, but it’s not. Sure, that’s implied, but the real moral of the story is that the others who actually come have some responsibilities too. I’m a gentile, and I’m invited to the party, but I have some responsibilities.

Thinking about yesterday and the parable of the workers that get hired throughout the day, as I was just sitting here, I was reminded (maybe by the Holy Spirit) of a moment yesterday afternoon in which I was annoyed with someone kind of fit the description of a late-in-the-day worker. I saw a Facebook post by someone who I know doesn’t take their relationship with you very seriously, but they are very zealous about politics. They posted about a prayer movement that was coming to a nearby city in response to Portland and the unrest there. When I saw their post I rolled my eyes and judged them. “Give me a break,” I thought. “You don’t really care about bringing God into those, but you want people to think you do.” But sitting here this morning, the thought occurred to me that this might be my chance to help them get ready for the banquet. Maybe I should offer to attend this prayer service with them. Maybe this would open dialogue about what it’s like to submit to you and love you with all my heart, soul, and strength and love my neighbor as myself. Maybe I should stop condescending and look for opportunities to love, especially since I’m still not great at loving you with all of my heart, soul, and strength or loving my neighbor as myself.

Father, I’m so sorry. Thank you for speaking to me this morning. Be glorified through my life.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen