6 — THE DIVINE INVITATION

Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost

Presence of God. — Grant me, O God, supreme grace of corresponding generously to all your invitations.

Meditation

1 — Today’s Gospel (Mt. 22:1-14) outlines painful history — sadly always current — of human ingratitude that rejects divine mercy, heedless of its gifts and invitations.

“The kingdom of heaven is likened to a king who made a marriage for his son; and he sent his servants to call those invited, and they would not come.” The king is God the Father, the son is eternal Word who, by becoming incarnate, espoused human nature to redeem and sanctify it.

God invites all men to great banquet of these divine nuptials, in which their salvation consists. But they, drowned in materiality of earthly things, reject invitation and ambassadors. “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets and stonest them that are sent unto thee” (Mt. 23:37), Son of God will one day lament, denouncing to world not only obstinate resistance of chosen people, but also that of all souls that with such obstinacy and ingratitude reject his love and grace.

The prophets, Baptist, Apostles are precisely the “servants,” messengers sent by God to call men to banquet of Redemption, but all were taken and killed: “And taking his servants, they treated them contumeliously and put them to death,” says Gospel.

Today’s parable goes no further, but unfortunately human ingratitude went much further: not only servants, not only messengers were killed, but Son of God Himself. And yet God’s mercy is so great it does not yield and continues to invite to his feast; indeed in this feast He offers as food very immaculate flesh of his divine Son whom men killed.

Banquet is prepared. Jesus, divine Lamb, has been immolated for redemption of humanity; and if many have not responded to invitation, others will be invited: “The marriage indeed is ready, but they that were invited were not worthy. Go ye therefore into highways, and as many as you shall find, call to the marriage.”

We too have been invited. How have we responded? Have we not sometimes shown greater interest in earthly affairs than in things of God? Have we not resembled those men in parable who, “neglecting it, went their ways, one to his farm and another to his merchandise”?

2 — Today’s parable shadows first invitation to Christian life, an invitation refused by Jewish people and then addressed to all nations. But in it we can also see invitation to follow particular vocation: vocation to priesthood, consecration to God in cloister or in world, apostolate, particular mission.

To correspond to vocation, some generic adhesion is not enough. A sincere and deep adhesion is needed, engaging whole soul. Parable speaks of man who did not refuse invitation, but corresponded unworthily by presenting himself at banquet without wedding garment.

He is image of those who adhere materially to Lord’s call without caring to adhere in spirit and in works, without caring to live worthily of their vocation. Such souls put their eternal salvation in grave danger, because one does not mock God. He cannot be deceived by appearances. No external uniforms or signs can hide from Him true state of soul.

Far better than king of parable, He discerns those not clothed in wedding garment, that is, garment of grace and virtue corresponding to vocation received. Sooner or later day will come when for each of them He will pronounce terrible words: “Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into exterior darkness.”

But even without reaching such extremes, one can remain far below full correspondence to divine call. In this regard it helps to remember that problem of corresponding to vocation is not solved once for all day one embraces particular state of life. It is problem of every day, because every day vocation requires new response, new adhesion proportioned to circumstances and grace of moment.

Vocation reaches full realization precisely through continual fidelity to divine invitations, which, succeeding one another unceasingly, open ever new horizons to attentive soul, present new duties, new aspects of generosity, new shades of perfection and self-giving.

Parable closes with grave sentence: “Many are called, but few are chosen.” Why are chosen few? Because few know how to correspond day by day to grace of vocation. Few know how to accept all consequences and demands of divine call. Few know how always to say yes to invitations of grace.

Colloquy

“O Lord, thus You speak to my soul: ‘Why have you withdrawn from Me with vain preoccupations? Why did you not hasten to prepare adorned garment for wedding? I, O soul, underwent death to take you as spouse. I made Myself man for you. To free your life from corruption, I set your salvation before all my works. I prepared bridal chamber for you in heaven and commanded angels to serve you there. And will you despise Me, heavenly Spouse? And whom will you prefer to Me, who by my mercies saved human race? What father can give you life as I? What father and what spouse can love you as I?’

“My God, what shall I answer You?

“Forgive me, save me, O patient and long-suffering Lord! Save me, Son of God, O Christ, who alone are without sin! Grant that I have nothing else in heart except desire to respond to your invitations, and that your grace cooperating with me, I always do your will and am ready to execute your commands benevolently, so that with talents received from You I may trade and acquire goods of your kingdom. Grant that I may praise You with confidence and with affection of heart say to You when You come: I am blessed, for You came to clothe me with worthy wedding garment that I acquire by your grace.

“I will light lamp, O Christ, given me by your grace and goodness. I will come forth to meet You with gladness, blessing You, praising You, glorifying You, O immortal Bridegroom” (St. Ephrem).