Invited Guests

October 15, 2023 – 28th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101523.cfm)

Imagine that a big event is about to happen within your company of work. And many are especially invited & one of them is you. How would you respond to this special occasion in your company? Are you going to attend or not? If not, what are your reasons & excuses for not going? Perhaps conflict of schedule, you don’t like the host & other invited guests, other so-called important commitments than the event itself, simply distaste of the company & crowd, among others. And if you are going, how would you attend? Are you going to dress up for the occasion, enjoy the program & party, meet old & new friends, stay-on until it ends, honor the host & honorees, and others? Or are you just going to show up on jeans, shirt or shorts, eat-drink & mingle a little, sit at the back, perhaps do some sideline business, meet possible contacts & clients, try to leave early as possible (BH) bringing along some food & drinks from the event for the after-party with friends? 😉

Guilty or not guilty?, but Sounds familiar. We do have seen, heard & even experienced for ourselves the same situation. This is the very experience that Jesus is telling us in the parable of wedding guests in our gospel today. It plainly begs the question: “What kind of invited guests am I, are you, are we?”

Are we the “excusing” (balidad) guests who find a lot of alibis & reasons not to attend? Or are we the “worthy” (angayan) guests who willingly choose to attend & enjoy the occasion? Or are we the “unworthy” (bastos) guests who unwillingly attend for the sake of obligation & personal interests?

In our gospel today, we hear Jesus ends the parable with the words; “Many are invited, but few are chosen.” It feels great to know that “many are invited” for it assures us that all those who believe in Jesus are invited to be part of God’s salvation in life – that into Christ, we are God’s invited guests. However, “few are chosen” not because only few are worthy to be invited, but moreso, few have chosen to be a worthy guests (naging karapatdapat/nipiling angayan) of the invitation & the occasion.

Remember the lesson about invitation & choice is not about discrimination & exclusivity (who is invited & chosen or not to attend), but all about our choice-response to God’s invitation for all. Yes, we are all invited to attend, but how we respond to the invitation greatly matters. In other words, “Many are called but few are chosen” because few have chosen to respond worthily – few have chosen to be worthy of the invitation & occasion. We also note here that the invitation is not only a Gift from God, but also our choice to respond to his invitation. Righteousness (having right relationship with God) & worthiness of God’s blessings then are both God’s gift and our willing response to it.

Perhaps we beg the question now to ourselves, after pandemic times where & when we experienced how it is to be distant & restricted to attend Sunday Eucharist for quite some times: “What kind of Sunday Eucharist invited guest I have been lately? What kind of Sunday Eucharist invited guest I choose to be from now on? Will I remain be the “excusing” (balidad) guests who find a lot of alibis & reasons not to attend? Or will I remain to be the “worthy” (angayan) guests who willingly choose to attend & enjoy the Eucharist? Or Will I remain be the “unworthy” (bastos) guests who unwillingly attend for the sake of obligation & personal interests?

As per experience, one of the topmost sins confessed during confessions is for failing & missing to attend Sunday Eucharist with corresponding alibis & excuses. As per advice, I usually suggest to the penitent that before coming to attend Mass for the next time, recognize & count first the special & ordinary blessings (all God has done to you & through you), that you have received from God during the week, and bring all these to the Eucharist in praise & thanksgiving for His love & goodness; rather than going to mass only with your wants & needs, merely asking for all that you want/need Him to do for you. Simply put, Come & attend in thanksgiving for what you already received than just begging for what you want & need. Kay Ang Misa Bangkete/Punsyon, ug dili feeding program o paghatag og hinabang. 😉

Worthy or unworthy we may be, thank you, Lord for inviting us always to be part of your blessings & life-celebration. May we willingly choose to attend & be present to be With you always for we know that apart from you we can do nothing, & we believe that away from you are nothing.

So May It Be. Amen.