Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 22, 1-14

Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and the elders of the people in parables
saying, “The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king
who gave a wedding feast for his son.
He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast,
but they refused to come.
A second time he sent other servants, saying,
‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet,
my calves and fattened cattle are killed,
and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’
Some ignored the invitation and went away,
one to his farm, another to his business.
The rest laid hold of his servants,
mistreated them, and killed them.
The king was enraged and sent his troops,
destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.

Then the king said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready,
but those who were invited were not worthy to come.
Go out, therefore, into the main roads
and invite to the feast whomever you find.’
The servants went out into the streets
and gathered all they found, bad and good alike,
and the hall was filled with guests.
But when the king came in to meet the guests
he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment.
He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it
that you came in here without a wedding garment?’
But he was reduced to silence.
Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet,
and cast him into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’
Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

The Kingdom of God is a party you’re invited to

1. The wedding. In Jewish times, a wedding meant “the party”, the ultimate celebration. It was the event everyone looked forward to in life, with all its rituals and excitement. Eternal life is just like that: joy. One thinker said that life is a party where you meet many people. New guests keep arriving, but others, for whatever reason, leave early. We all have to leave some day; don’t forget that. The hardest part is accepting that the party continues without us, as the saying goes, “life goes on.”

2. They refused. Many people refuse to live life fully! They cling to what hurt them, or what happened to them, and they just won’t let it go. You often refuse to open yourself to new and different things. It’s important to take that step, to stop refusing and living in negativity with that “I can’t” or “what’s the point?” attitude. Find a way around it; don’t dwell on what happened or what hurt you. Don’t refuse to live life, and let go of that closed-off, negative mindset. Today is one day less, but it’s also one day more.

3. The Chosen Ones. I’d like to end with a poem:

The last journey arrives without warning, 

without previous preparation or decisions. 

Sometimes, it doesn’t even let us say goodbye; 

we leave without a farewell, without a hug, 

without saying “I love you”, or “forgive me”.

While we live, we take so many trips and make so many plans, 

but we never think about the one

that arrives when we least expect it 

and like a thief, transports us to another level of existence. 

It’s like a sudden snatch that leaves a trail of pain and tears. 

It’s unexplainable and full of wonder. 

It’s hard to believe, because it seems like a lie, 

and it’s hard for our loved ones to accept it

because it hurts so much, 

and even breathing becomes difficult. 

We never think that we can lose our lives at any moment, 

and we waste it chasing after so many things, 

accumulating possessions and clinging to everything, 

even knowing we’ll take nothing with us.

Never forget that something good is on the way!

God bless you and guard you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.