"Ang tanan handa na, kari kamo"

Ebanghelyo subong nga Adlaw (Mateo 22:1-14)

Huwebes (Agosto 22)

Si Jesus naghambal liwat sa mga tawo paagi sa mga palaanggiran.

“Ang Ginharian sang langit kaangay sa isa ka hari nga naghanda sang isa ka punsyon sa kasal sang iya anak. 

Ginpadala niya ang iya mga suloguon sa pagtawag sang mga inagda sa punsyon, pero ang mga inagda indi magkadto.

Gani ginsugo niya ang iban niya nga mga suloguon kag ginsingganan, ‘Singgana ninyo ang mga inagda nga ang akon punsyon handa na, ang akon mga baka kag mga tinday nga pinatambok naihaw na, kag ang tanan handa na. Gani kari kamo kag mamunsyon!’

Pero ang mga inagda wala magsapak kundi naglakat sila: ang isa sa iya uma, ang isa sa iya baligyaan, samtang ang iban nga mga inagda nagdakop, nagbunal, kag nagpatay sa mga suloguon.

Ang hari naakig gid, kag ginpadala niya ang iya mga soldado sa pagpamatay sa mga nagpatay sang iya suloguon, kag sa pagsunog sang ila banwa.

Dayon gintawag niya ang iya mga suloguon kag ginsingganan, ‘Ang akon punsyon sa kasal handa na, ugaling ang mga inagda indi takos.

Karon kadto kamo sa mga dalan kag agdaha ninyo sa punsyon ang tanan nga inyo masugata.’

Gani ang mga suloguon nagkadto sa mga dalan kag gintipon nila ang tanan nga ila nakita, malain kag maayo. Kag ang kalan-an sa punsyon napuno sang mga inagda.

“Nagsulod ang hari sa pagtan-aw sang mga inagda, kag nakita niya ang isa ka tawo nga wala makasuksok sang bayu para sa punsyon.

Ginpamangkot sia sang hari, ‘Abyan, ngaa nga nakasulod ka diri nga wala makasuksok sang bayu para sa punsyon?’ Pero wala sia magsabat.

Dayon ang hari nagsugo sa mga suloguon, ‘Gapusa ninyo ang iya kamot kag tiil kag ihaboy sa kadudolman sa gwa. Didto magahibi sia kag magabagrot sang iya mga ngipon.’ ”

Kag sa katapusan si Jesus nagsiling, “Kay madamo ang mga gin-agda, pero pila lamang ang mga ginpili.” 

Prayers:

"Lord Jesus, may I always know the joy of living in your presence and grow in the hope of seeing you face to face in your everlasting kingdom."

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Reflection of the Daily Gospel:

What can a royal wedding party tell us about God's kingdom? One of the most beautiful images used in the Scriptures to depict what heaven is like is the wedding celebration and royal feast given by the King for his newly-wed son and bride. Whatever grand feast we can imagine on earth, heaven is the feast of all feasts because the Lord of heaven and earth invites us to the most important banquet of all – not simply as bystanders or guests – but as members of Christ's own body, his bride the church! The last book in the Bible ends with an invitation to the wedding feast of the Lamb – the Lord Jesus who offered his life as an atoning sacrifice for our sins and who now reigns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The Spirit and the Bride say, Come! (Revelations 22:17). The Lord Jesus invites us to be united with himself in his heavenly kingdom of peace and righteousness.

Why does Jesus' parable of the marriage feast seem to focus on an angry king who ends up punishing those who refused his invitation and who mistreated his servants? Jesus' parable contains two stories. The first has to do with the original guests invited to the marriage feast. The king had sent out invitations well in advance to his subjects, so they would have plenty of time to prepare for coming to the feast. How insulting for the invited guests to then refuse when the time for celebrating came! They made light of the King's request because they put their own interests above his. They not only insulted the King but the heir to the throne as well. The king's anger is justified because they openly refused to give the king the honor he was due. Jesus directed this warning to the Jews of his day, both to convey how much God wanted them to share in the joy of his kingdom, but also to give a warning about the consequences of refusing his Son, their Messiah and Savior.

The second part of the story focuses on those who had no claim on the king and who would never have considered getting such an invitation. The "good and the bad" along the highways certainly referred to the Gentiles (non-Jews) and to sinners. This is certainly an invitation of grace – undeserved, unmerited favor and kindness! But this invitation also contains a warning for those who refuse it or who approach the wedding feast unworthily. God's grace is a free gift, but it is also an awesome responsibility.

Dieterich Bonhoeffer, a Lutheran pastor and theologian in Germany who died for his faith under Hitler's Nazi rule, contrasted "cheap grace" and "costly grace".

"Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves... the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance... grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate... Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life."

God invites each of us as his friends to his heavenly banquet that we may celebrate with him and share in his joy. Are you ready to feast at the Lord's banquet table?