Three invitations. Did you count them?
To the well-to-do people of the city;
To the socially disadvantaged
people of the city
living rough in the streets;
To the socially disadvantaged people
who live outside the city
in hedges and by the side of roads.
The only people we know
who don't go into the feast
are those who live comfortable lives
and know that they need nothing
from this feast.
Only those who hurt
those who struggle to live
those who know that they need healing
those who know that there is joy
but not in how they are living
those who know that the feast
will be more than they could ever hope for,
these accept the invitation.
But it isn't three invitations, is it?
It's just the one,
just the one "come to the feast!"
offered to everyone.
[PAUSE]
Our Lord's parable is quite clear.
The city is Jerusalem
and those inside are the Jewish people
- people whom God has always loved
- people whom He has called to the feast.
But those who are satisfied
with their own lives
reject Him,
and the invitation that He has written
in His own Blood.
So He turns to those
who see Him as their hope
and they receive Him.
Here are Peter, James, John
and the others
who know that they need healing,
who know that they need joy,
who know that they need salvation,
who are wounded by the world's
pitiless indifference
who hate the brokenness of
their souls
who are tired of the battle
to be good within them
with its constant losses
failures
and degradation.
They accept the invitation
but it isn't enough.
The feast is not big enough yet.
There is still room.
And so the invitation passes
beyond the walls.
[PAUSE]
It finds those outside
the Jewish race,
who suffer the same woes
and torment
and it gives them hope.
They, too, can come into the city,
further up and further in,
to the palace of the feast giver,
the king of the Jews,
The Lord God Himself,
The Father
Whose invitation is the Word of Life
Christ Himself
and Who draws all people
through His Holy Spirit.
It is the Spirit that fires the hearts
of men to spread the Word,
this invitation to Life Eternal,
of Eternal Joy
of Eternal Satisfaction.
Those who refuse
live out their lives
with what they have always wanted,
but their hearts
are where their treasure is
and they miss out on
Life Eternal
Eternal Joy
and Eternal Satisfaction.
They are left with
an Eternal Life of sorts
but nothing beyond their thoughts;
an Eternity of indifference
shown to others and by others;
an Eternity of never being satisfied
but never knowing precisely why.
Those who refuse the invitation
shall not enter into God's rest.
[PAUSE]
What we have to do is clear:
Say "yes!" to the invitation
and spend lives inviting others
in our thoughts, words and deeds.
At the moment,
we stand beyond the walls
but we are invited nonetheless.
We must prepare ourselves
for the feast.
We must lives turning towards God
We must let others know that
they are invited too.
We have to wait for the city gates
to be flung wide
to lift up their heads
and we shall enter in
with the King of Glory.
No comments:
Post a Comment