The parable of the great feast
ONE of those at table with Jesus said to him, “Blessed is the one who will dine in the Kingdom of God.” He replied to him, “A man gave a great dinner to which he invited many. When the time for the dinner came, he dispatched his servant to say to those invited, ‘Come, everything is now ready.’ But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves. The first said to him, ‘I have purchased a field and must go to examine it; I ask you, consider me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have purchased five yoke of oxen and am on my way to evaluate them; I ask you, consider me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have just married a woman, and therefore I cannot come.’ The servant went and reported this to his master. Then the master of the house in a rage commanded his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in here the poor and the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ The servant reported, ‘Sir, your orders have been carried out and still there is room.’ The master then ordered the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedgerows and make people come in that my home may be filled. For, I tell you, none of those men who were invited will taste my dinner.’”
REFLECTION THEY ALL BEGAN TO EXCUSE THEMSELVES. We get an inkling of how Jesus feels about his mission. When a guest exclaims to him, “Blessed is the one who will dine in the Kingdom of God,” Jesus relates a story about a great dinner, not necessarily a wedding banquet as found in Mt 22, in which a man invites many. He prepares a big meal for them. He expects everyone to attend his party, but nobody comes.
The master is quite disappointed by their regrets. They give different excuses: they are following up their business transactions. One excuses himself as having just gotten married.
To save his preparation, not to waste the food, the host invites people who are not usually invited: the poor, the lame, and the blind. They come. Yet there is still plenty of room. He invites a third group: travelers, migrants, farmers, and gardeners. They also accept the invitation. The host is happy with these guests who are willing to partake of his dinner.
Blessed are they who have no excuses, for they taste the meal of God’s Kingdom. Jesus is happy with them. But those who absent themselves, thinking that it is not their priority, are not blessed.
SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2018,” ST. PAULS Philippines, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: books@stpauls.ph; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.