Today Jesus highlights the cost of refusing God’s invitation for the heavenly banquet with lame excuses by telling a parable of a banquet hosted by a very rich and influential landowner. Jesus directed this parable to the Jewish religious and civic leaders who refused to accept his invitation for God’s salvation and boycotted his preaching and healing ministry. Jesus explained through this parable why he was befriending tax collectors and sinners, promising them eternal salvation and participation in the heavenly banquet.
People began to make excuses for not coming to the party. They were not the most convincing excuses in the world. If you really want to do something, you always find time and opportunity to do it. If you don't want to do it, one excuse is as good as another. Unfortunately, we are capable of swapping God for practically anything. Some for a piece of land; others, for some yoke of oxen. And what are we willing to trade him and his invitation, for? There are those that out of laziness, sloppiness, convenience, refrain from fulfilling their duties of love towards God: is God so unworthy we can replace Him with anything?
Let us examine ourselves to see if we, too, are refusing God’s invitation, giving lame excuses to show how busy we are because of our business or career duties, our addictions to games, entertainments and hobbies or our preoccupation with family matters. We may not get a better chance or more opportunities to accept God’s invitation to prayer, to Eucharistic celebration, to the serious study of and refection on the word of God or to service in the community.
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