October 15, 2013,

Sister Evangeline Salazar, OSB shares a reflection on the scripture readings: Isaiah 25:6-10a; Psalm 23; Philippians 4:12-14, 19-20; Matthew 22:1-10

In a lifetime,

how many invitations

have you received?

How many did you accept?

How many did you decline?

Were you reluctant to accept?

Enthusiastic?

Disinclined?

Whose invitation

could you not ignore?

I remember an invitation

to a birthday party

I received in third grade.

It was an invitation

from a very unpopular girl.

I was disinclined to accept.

However, my mother

who understood the circumstances.

told me, “If you don’t go to this party,

you will not be allowed to accept

any other invitation

you might receive,

the rest of the year.

So of course, I accepted the invitation,

went to the party and had a great time.

Remember the song,

by the Medical Mission Sisters,

I Cannot Come?

In today’s gospel

Jesus tells the story of a king,

who invited all his friends and neighbors

to the wedding feast of his son.

They did not accept the invitation.

They could not come.

They all had a reason.

They didn’t show up.

Disappointing!

But that did not deter the king.

He had prepared a great feast!

He wasn’t inclined to let

all that good food go to waste,

not to mention the great music

and the beautiful decorations.

So he sent his servants out into the streets bring to the

feast the street people, the poor

and the hungry.

They came.

They filled the banquet halls.

Some forgot the dress code

so they could not stay

Bummer!

Those who stayed

had a wonderful time

and left when the party was over.

My thoughts drive me

to ask,

What is the difference between

an invitation and a call?

Were you invited

to follow Jesus?

Or were you called?

I’m inclined to believe

that all of us

were not just invited.

We were called and chosen.

How would your life be different today

if you had not accepted the invitation to follow Jesus?

If you had said I cannot come.

I must bury my parents.

I must butcher a cow.

I have meetings to attend.

I cannot come, I have important things to attend to.

I answered the call,

I accepted the invitation,

I claimed the dress code, 

and I have partaken of the lavish food set before me.

You are the chosen,

We are the chosen,

We have been called.

We have accepted the invitation.

We are at the wedding feast,

enjoying all that has been prepared for us,

confident in the love of Jesus Christ, Our Lord and Savior And Joy is the garment we have been asked to wear.