Thursday of the 20th week in Ordinary Time [422] Judges 11:29-39a Psalm 40:5, 7-8a, 8b-9, 10 Matthew 22:1-14

Weekly Guide for Daily Prayer

I confess I find today's readings troubling and difficult.  The first is one of many old Testament stories about military battles of the Children of Israel and some of the grisly consequences thereof.

But I want to focus on the Gospel.  The parable of the wedding feast is familiar to most of us, and the final line - "Many are invited, but few are chosen"  - is probably one of the most quoted from the Bible.

But why are few chosen?  After all, God's love is infinite and He wants to extend us mercy, even to the point of having sacrificed his Son in the name of our sins.  Many times, I feel like the man at the wedding feast but not appropriately attired.  In fact, I think most of us have some version of a dream where we are suddenly at some important event and we feel terribly out of place, not appropriately dressed or in some way embarrassed to be there.

Why is that we (or at least I) have this fear?  I think the reason is that we know ourselves well enough to know how many sins we have committed and deep down we (or at least I) often feel unworthy.  But I don't think that's what Jesus is trying to say in the parable.  We are all in many senses unworthy, but we can make ourselves worthy by coming back to God and accepting his invitation.

As a child I used to dread the sacrament of Reconciliation.  But as an adult, I have grown to love it.  It's a chance to wash ourselves clean, to become worthy and not be the man at the wedding feast who is inappropriately attired.