Responding to God’s Invitation: RSVP

MT 22: 1-10

Gospel 10.11.20

For anyone who has received an invitation to a celebratory event, there appears to be either one or two common responses.  The first may be one of excitement and surprise, feeling honored to be thought of in such high esteem.  Another person may react with a sense of indifference and nonchalance immediately thinking ”How do I get out of this?”  I have been on both sides of this response.

Although everyone has the right to their own decision, the invited also has an obligation to at least respond to the host (RSVP).  In this story, those on the guest list blatantly snub the king by going about their business and ignoring the generous invitation.  Some even brutalized and killed the messengers sent by the king, after he extended the invitation a second time. 

This Gospel is one that speaks clearly to me.  The king (God) who appreciates and loves his people (us) has prepared a grand celebration for his son (Jesus). It is a wedding feast (our reunion with God through His Son) that is perfect in every way. Perhaps those who refused to even respond to the king felt it was not important enough to share in the king’s happiness?  Maybe the disrespectful guests were waiting for something better to come along?

To me, the moral of this parable-story is that God is constantly sending us invitations in many ways.  Sometimes through our families, our jobs and even by the way of the most unlikely stranger or situation  If you are taking the time read these reflections each week by the Fishers of Men, you are probably hungry and awaiting the magnificent feast that God has promised us.  Let us pray for one another that we not be sidetracked with the ordinary and mundane. Pray that we will RSVP the Lord now, and greet His invitation with a sense of excitement, joy, and humility. “Times a wasting!”  Hope to see you on the road to the feast! Pax, The Pilgrim.