Go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding

And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said:  "The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come.  Again, he sent out other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready.  Come to the wedding." ' But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business.  And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them.  But when the king heard about it, he was furious.  And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.  Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.  Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.'  So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good.  And the wedding hall was filled with guests. 

"But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.  So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?'  And he was speechless.  Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'  For many are called, but few are chosen."

- Matthew 22:1-14

Jesus is currently in Jerusalem, and it is early in Passover week.  In yesterday's reading, He gave a parable before the leadership in the temple:  "There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower.  And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country.  Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit.  And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another.  Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them.  Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.'  But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir.  Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.'  So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him.  Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?"  They said to Him, "He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons."  Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures:  'The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.  This was the LORD's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?  Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.  And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder."  Now when the chief priests and Pharisees heard His parables, they perceived that He was speaking of them.  But when they sought to lay hands on Him, they feared the multitudes, because they took Him for a prophet.

 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said:  "The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come."  My study bible says that, like the preceding parables (see this reading, and this one), this parable also proclaims the transfer of the Kingdom from the faithless among the Jews (let us remember that all of the disciples are Jews, as is Jesus Himself) to the Gentiles.  It is set as a joyful wedding banquet (see also 25:1-13), as Christ is often called the "Bridegroom" (9:15, John 3:29).  St. Paul uses a marriage analogy for the Kingdom (Ephesians 5:21-33). 

"Again, he sent out other servants, saying, 'Tell those who are invited, "See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready.  Come to the wedding." ' "   The repeated sending out of the servants shows the Father's great desire to have His people with Him in the Kingdom.  The first group is interpreted to be Moses and those with him, while this second group is composed of the prophets.  These groups call those initially invited -- the Jews.  The oxen represent the sacrifices of the Old Covenant, while the fatted cattle represent the eucharistic bread of the New Covenant.  Fatted is more accurately translated as "wheat-fed," or even more literally as "formed from wheat."  Therefore, both the Old and New Covenants are fulfilled at the wedding of Christ and His Church. 

"But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business.  And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them.  But when the king heard about it, he was furious.  And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city."   St. John Chrysostom comments here that Christ is prophesying the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in AD 70.   Therefore He attributes this destruction to an act of God rather than simply to that of men.  But nevertheless, their is mercy shown, and patience.  In waiting 40 years from the time of Christ, the entire generation of the time of His Incarnation was given a chance for repentance and faith. 

"Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.  Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.'  So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good.  And the wedding hall was filled with guests."  The third group of servants, sent out into the highways, represents the apostles sent to the Gentiles (all the nations); that is, those not initially invited, but now called.  

"But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment.  So he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?'  And he was speechless.  Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'  For many are called, but few are chosen."  My study bible explains that the wedding garment would have been provided by the king, and therefore the man had no excuse for not wearing one.  Therefore he's speechless.  His refusal to wear the garment that was provided is an illustration of those who refuse God's hospitality, or who want His Kingdom on their own terms.  My study bible says that the garment specifically refers to the baptismal garment, and by extension, a life of faith, repentance, virtue, and charity.  Without these, a person will ultimately be cast into outer darkness.

Jesus characterizes the repeated messages of the Kingdom, given through all of God's messengers through time, as invitations.  They are invitations to a great wedding feast.  All of the Kingdom will celebrate the marriage of the Son to His beloved bride, who is the Church -- that is, all of the faithful people of God, wherever they are found.  Let us remember that the invitations go out into the highways and to all whom they find, both bad and good.   There are no elites here, no privileged members.  Everybody is included in the invitation.  And each is given a wedding garment.  In this scenario of the wedding banquet, it is all a question of what we find of value, what we treasure.  And that is up to us.  Do we treasure the wedding garment we've been given?  Do we use it and wear it well?  Do we care for it?  Life, in this picture of the parable, is a true banquet.  We've been invited -- every single one of us, both good and bad, whomever is found -- to the King's joyous celebration, to this wedding feast for the whole of the Kingdom, even those who are abroad on the highways.  There is no more generous spirit possible than that involved here.  It is all up to us, whether or not we accept, we say yes to the generous offer of the banquet and the wedding garment itself.  In that spirit of understanding, and in light of the parables Jesus has already given us in the readings from Wednesday and Thursday, let us consider carefully all that we truly find good, and that we truly value.  In this banquet of the Kingdom there is the greatest joy.  Its picture is one of the greatest festivity possible.  It is this to which we are all invited, without discrimination, without barrier, bad or good,  regardless of our station.   In chapter 25, Jesus will give the parable of the Talents (25:14-30).  In it, the Lord says to one:  "Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord."  It is this joy into which we are all invited to participate.  The banquet continues into all time, and through all things.  In the Eucharist, we celebrate and participate continually with the angels and with the great cloud of witnesses, in the communion of all who are a part of this wedding.  Let us recall the joy to which we are invited, and our gracious Master who wants every single one to say "Yes, I accept."