Come To The Wedding
Reflection on Matthew 22:1-14 by Elaine Johnson
Are you often like me, mentally preoccupied with worries, regrets, and self-imposed responsibilities? Is your to-do list a “moving target” and you find yourself pushing a once urgent need further down the calendar to make room for one thing more?
What would it be like to take a few deep breaths?
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
Can you take time to honor the peacefulness of Jesus? Can you stop to ponder the beauty of God's creation? To really notice the azalea bush blossoms of Fall? Can you stop praying “on the fly” and pray deep within your soul as we gaze out my front window together? Can we really sense the comfort offered by our friends and neighbors, the comfort of their houses nestled close together, the comfort of friends working in their yards, friends passing by who we know by name (even if their faces are covered their colorful Covid masks)?
Can we imagine we are walking together in response to the King’s invitation: “Come to my wedding banquet. Everything is ready!’
Or maybe this is how you are most like me: Judging yourself as unworthy, lacking in purpose, or strength, or popularity, or status, or_____.
What is it about your self-talk today that might lead you to discount the invitation? What is it that is keeping you from avoiding spiritual and relational interaction?
I say in response: “This was me.”
I distanced myself from my church community for 17 long years, believing that God loved everyone but me. Guess what my bitter self finally learned? That there is absolutely no one who is truly unloved by God! God kept speaking through all sorts of people and circumstances until “I got it!” Now I have confidence in God as THE “Relentless Pursuer of the Heart”.
Perhaps you can take a moment now to ponder your own history. Where are you in God’s eternal scheme? Where are you in your history, your stage of life, your past and present highs and lows? Perhaps you will be amazed by the memories of countless “slaves” passing out the wedding invitations—those you know of historically—from Adam to Moses, to Abraham, to Christ, to the Eternal Holy Spirit living within.
Spiritual Giants and countless unsung heroes working tirelessly on the frontlines. Friends who stuck by while you barely noticed.
Which persons are you drawn to today? Who is the most recent to have captured your attention in a way that expanded your horizons, or perhaps lead you closer to God?
COME TO THE WEDDING
The Wedding Banquet Parable suggests that the wedding host, God the Father, is extremely generous. While some may refuse, God keeps adding more and more people to the list. He’s not picky. His Wedding guests can be as different as a random selection of people collected off the street. This is not to say that there are no requirements to attend the wedding. Matthew’s parable states the requirement is a willingness to wear a wedding robe.
You may choose to meditate on the meaning of the robe. Perhaps it suggests that no one is “more special” than anyone else (you) in the eyes of God. Perhaps it’s that no one can be too proud to do the simple thing asked of them, i.e. wear a robe like everyone else. Perhaps it’s about that verse in Galatians 3:27: “As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”(NRSV). Perhaps you might simply invite God’s Presence as you open to the wonder of the most joyful wedding celebration of all!
Elaine Johnson is retired Licensed Professional Counselor and Children’s Registered Play Therapist. She is also a Retreat House partner and Trained Spiritual Director. Elaine shares that she is deeply grateful for life-lessons learned from a close-knit Russian-German family within the small country town of Okeene, Oklahoma. She is equally grateful for the support in spiritual development provided through Retreat House.
Listen to Rev. Dr. Lil Smith's Guided Meditation for Praying the Lectionary for Matthew 22:1-14.
Invitation
As you experience the practice of praying the lectionary, adopt a loving, caring and compassionate stance. If the end of your prayer and meditation time is not pointing to love and hope, there is more work to do. Keep wrestling. God is faithful to your journey. Love and hope will emerge. Be gentle with yourself and befriend any judgment that arises in you.
This excerpt was taken from a weekly meditation. To sign up to receive these, email us.
"So that we may live lives worthy of the Lord and please God in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God."
- Rooted in Colossians 1:10