Is your excuse good enough?

Excellent! You have an invitation to the party.

How are you going to turn it down?

It does seem like a bizarre thing to do. The person giving the party must be very rich given that he is inviting so many people to come along. Why on earth would people decline such a sumptuous feast?

Ah, we know the excuses: bought a bit of land, need to test-drive the new oxen,  just got married.

Just got married? That's a reasonable excuse! You can always put off looking at your new bit of land, or going for a spin with your new bullocks, but surely getting married is a decent excuse! The Missus would be quite put out if you didn't turn up at the church on time. The trouble is, whatever your excuse, you are still missing out on this sumptuous feast. It doesn't matter to the person giving the feast: it's clear he'll find people to enjoy the party. The only person missing out on the party is you.

Is your excuse worth it?

[PAUSE]

It seems strange that people would want to excuse themselves from a party, especially such a lavish one as this. Perhaps they don't realise that it is so lavish. Perhaps they don't know what they are expecting. If they want caviar and they expect that they will be served KFC, then perhaps they are right to make an excuse. Also, what of the people that might be there? What if that lady from down the road is there with her disdainful attitude towards "your sort"? Well, she'd make the evening a real misery, wouldn't she? If you don't know what you're expecting, perhaps making an excuse is the right thing?

But if it really is the best party going, you might really be missing out based upon your own prejudices.

The problem boils down essentially to whether you really know whose party this is. Do you know this "certain man"?

[PAUSE]

It doesn't take much reading to know precisely what Our Lord is saying. The feast was offered to the Israelites, but they have made their excuses by preferring property and lust to a rather vague party invitation. They've clearly not looked into this at all. In truth, they will not be admitted to the feast, and it is their fault. Not God's for throwing this wedding feast. Not God's for issuing the invitations. It is the fault of all those who value something more than God Himself. That, as you very well know, is idolatry.

Further, the same invitation is issued to everyone, not a few. This means that there could be some difficult people at the party. Yet, if we know the Host, might we not learn to know those difficult people better?

Yes, you are indeed invited to a great banquet. Are you excusing yourself from it?