Twenty-Eighth
Sunday of Ordinary Time
October
13, 2002
What is the lamest excuse
you have ever used?
There
are a lot of reasons that people give for not doing things. They range from clever
to lame. “Sister, I left my homework on the bed and the dawg chewed it up,”
was Greg’s excuse, until a hand shot up from the back and said: “But
sister, they don’t have a dog!” “I just washed my hair and I
can’t do a thing with it (ouch if you’re the recipient).” My
own personal favorite: (speaking about commitments three months from now) “I
have a funeral that day.” And then, there are the experiences when you realize
no matter what you say, it will be a lame excuse. And so you are silent.
There are times when we need to find a way to tactfully tell other people –
“Thanks, but I am not interested,”. However today’s gospel is
not one of those. Today’s gospel speaks about lame excuses - reasons why
people choose not to be involved in the kingdom. The banquet is ready, the invitations
have been sent out, and people make all kinds of excuses not to come. “I’m
busy putting up hay for the sheep.” “I’ve got work at my shop
to get done…” And they refuse the invitation to the banquet.
If the story stopped there, it would be a sad commentary on the people of Jesus’
day. It would be a lesson about their invitation to believe in the message of
Jesus and the refusal that is a part of their lives. But no, Matthew appends this
little story about the wedding garment guy, who is invited late to the shindig,
and then who is thrown out because he’s not wearing the traditional tux
and tails. What’s up with that?
I returned this afternoon from a wedding in Kansas City. So I was paying attention
this weekend to wedding etiquette. What does one do at weddings? (especially Catholic
ones) You pray, you eat, you drink, you dance and celebrate, and you enter conversations
with people. That’s the heart of almost every wedding you’ve ever
been to. And people are willing to do that. They mingle with other guest, meet
new people, hang out with the old, celebrate and pray. It becomes almost second
nature. You don’t see people at a wedding staying in the corner. It’s
not what you do at weddings. That behavior does not ‘fit’ what we
know about doing weddings.
The garment in the gospel is not about tux and tails, or formal dresses –
but about ‘doing’ the work of the banquet. “How come you are
not participating?” would be a way we would phrase the question about ‘not
being properly dressed.’ To the individual’s credit, he does not resort
to a lame excuse. In fact, he knows there is no excuse for his behavior. His silence
condemns him. His silence is admission that he is not willing to be a part of
the banquet. And the conclusion of the story tells us there is no room in the
kingdom for people trying to go it alone, people unwilling to get involved in
life, involved in relationships, involved in caring for others. The bouncers toss
him from the gathering because he is unwilling to do what the celebration asks
of him.
So the man stands for each believer throughout the ages who is given the invitation
to come to the banquet. To live life like you do at wedding receptions –
eating, drinking, engaging our sisters and brothers in conversations, caring
for them, hearing their problems, offering our help – all the things that
happen at weddings. That invitation is given to you and I this evening –
as once more we stand before the wedding feast of the Lord at this table.
Will you come ‘dressed for
the occasion?’ Or will you offer a lame excuse? “I’m a college
student – I’m supposed to not be fanatic about my religion.’
“I’m busy with homework and papers and all the things that pursuing
my degree demands of me – there’s not enough time for prayer in
my life.”
Make no mistake about it – the invitation is given. The feast is ready.
Will you come to the table and live all that this wedding demands of you?