In the parable, the guests who originally accept the invitation begin to make excuses when the feast was ready. They prefer to do other things. They try to invent excuses. But the host will not to be outdone. He wants to share the feast with somebody. Since his respectable and prosperous neighbors back out, he sends his servant to bring in some less respectable neighbors, complete strangers, and passers-by.
We can easily see two points about the kingdom of God in this parable. One is a warning about making excuses. A second point is about inviting people. Since I have stressed the danger of excuses on previous occasions, this time, I focus on the invitation.
Our mission as servants of the divine host is to invite people to share in the spiritual feast. There is always room for more guests at the spiritual feast. And God asks us as His servants to invite others to the feast.
Although everyone may not appreciate the invitation, we are not to give up. Our master wants us to keep seeking newcomers. There are still many besides us who would appreciate the offer. Many souls in this world long for spiritual nourishment. Many people need the bread of life that comes through Word and Sacrament.
The role of inviting others is easier for some of us than for others. Some are more outgoing; some speak to others more naturally; some meet more people. So everyone doesn’t have to use the same approach. We don’t all have to extend our Master’s invitation in the same way or to the same numbers of people. But whatever our personalities and approaches, inviting others to share in God’s gracious provision is a basic duty of His servants. Each of us should seek to invite others to share in the gospel feast.
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