The parable about the wedding feast in the Gospel today took my mind back to a magical time in high school: prom night. Specifically, I was remembering my first prom experience as a junior in high school. At that point, I hadn’t dated extensively and definitely had never taken a girl out for a nice dinner, so I didn’t have a clue what I was doing. Thankfully, I already had a tuxedo because it was the required outfit for vocal ensemble performances at our school. But I was lost as to how to handle the rest of the details. I knew there would be pictures taken, but I wasn’t aware that I needed to get a corsage for Kelsie, my date.
My memory is a bit fuzzy, but I’m pretty sure my mom explained to me the necessity of getting Kelsie a corsage. It may have even been on the day of prom. She and I went over to Connell’s Flowers in town and picked one up. Also, I didn’t have the means to go in on a limo, so the Saturn SL2 that my dad let us kids drive would be the chariot by which I took my date to prom. Dad wisely suggested that I clean out the car, so I spent the whole afternoon vacuuming and scrubbing and clearing out stuff so that my date would have an enjoyable ride. With the help of my mom and dad, that first prom experience was a good one.
Today, the Lord paints a picture for us of the Kingdom of Heaven being like a wedding feast for a king’s son. The king sets out the feast, but there are a number of problems. He sends out servants to gather the invited guests, but they all make excuses. So the king sends out more servants to invite people and once again they refuse to come. Some servants are even killed. It doesn’t end well for them! Finally, the king gathers people of all kinds from the streets so that the hall is filled. Unfortunately, one of those coming in from the street is improperly dressed, so he gets thrown out into the darkness, where he will suffer.
This is a pretty intense image at the end, but we have to imagine that this person was without excuse. When the servants went out to gather people from the streets, undoubtedly they told them what they were getting themselves into. They knew it was a wedding, and that calls for some additional preparation. Perhaps some of the people from the street even asked the servants who were inviting them: ‘What should we wear?’
This image of the kingdom of Heaven being a wedding feast is a rich one, and one which would have been familiar to the Jewish listeners to whom Jesus originally addressed this parable. We heard this very same image being used by the prophet Isaiah in the first reading: “On this mountain the LORD of hosts will provide for all peoples a feast of rich food and choice wines, juicy, rich food and pure, choice wines.” Isaiah doesn’t explicitly say that it will be a wedding feast, but this would be implied by the sumptousness of the food. They reserved the best for their multi-day wedding feasts, as we see with the wedding feast of Cana!
Jesus uses this image of the wedding feast to challenge those who were ignoring His invitation to become His disciples and be part of the Kingdom He was bringing. All of those in the parable who refused the invitation of the King represent those in Israel who were hearing Jesus speak but still walking away. The final person mentioned represents those who heard Jesus’ invitation but didn’t take His requirements seriously.
Jesus’ words are just as relevant for us today, because the invitation to His Wedding Feast didn’t stop with those to whom He originally addressed this parable. In fact, it has echoed in the hearts of all people who have been blessed to live in this time of the Church. Down through the ages, the invitation to come to His Feast has been addressed to young and old; rich and poor; people from every tribe, tongue, people and nation.
In this parable we can see ourselves both in the people invited and in the servants who do the inviting. Jesus invites us all to come to this amazing Eucharistic feast here on earth, where we are united to Him and get to experience a foretaste of our perfect union with Him at the Heavenly Wedding Feast. And just like those invited guests, this involves preparation. We are called to allow the Lord to purify and cleanse our hearts throughout the week, drawing us close to Him during the day to day events of our lives so that we might come with open hearts on Sunday to receive Him at Mass. We can and should look to those who are close to the King, those people in our lives who are clearly disciples of Jesus, to help us be prepared. So often, we have no idea how to get ourselves ready for the Feast. Just like I had to go to my parents to prepare for prom, each of us may at times be called to seek wisdom and counsel from people we know who can help us prepare for the great privilege of sharing in the Eucharistic Feast.
The incredible thing is that Jesus also invites you to be that servant who goes out and invites others to the Feast. There are people that the Father has put in your life whom you can help come to the Feast. You may think of yourself as unprepared for that job. Don’t worry! Jesus will give you all that you need to help others. Some may make excuses, but eventually, if you stay with it, there will be people who say ‘yes.’ You can help them prepare for the great feast of the Eucharist by simply inviting them to something like Alpha, or an opening of the Lord’s Day, or a bible study, or a Book Club here at the parish. These are places where someone can come to meet Jesus and begin to desire that deeper relationship with Him. Many may not be prepared to say ‘yes’ to Mass, but maybe they will come to Book Club. Our call is to be that person who invites.
And when we do see people saying ‘yes’ to this great Feast, what a joy that is. This is the Feast of Life, where we consume and are consumed by Jesus Himself, where we are joined in our depths to the Bridegroom, who loves each of us and all of us with infinite love. This is why preparation is so important, because each of us comes to this feast not just as a guest or even a guest of honor, but as a spouse, as one who is claimed by the Bridegroom as a member of His Bride, the Church. Let us prepare our hearts, open them to His mercy, and, if we are prepared, join ourselves to the Bridegroom in His incredible Feast!
+ Father, thank you for those who have helped prepare our hearts for the Wedding Feast of your Son. Jesus, help us have the courage to go out to those who yearn for your Feast but aren’t yet prepared to share in it. Holy Spirit, Give us the wisdom to know how they can be prepared for the Feast and how we can be prepared, ourselves. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen. +