2"The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. 4Again he sent other slaves, saying, 'Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.' 5But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, 6while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. 7The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8Then he said to his slaves, 'The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. 9Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.' 10Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.
11"But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, 12and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?' And he was speechless. 13Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.' 14For many are called, but few are chosen." (Matthew 22:1-14)
From today's lectionary readings
When we read about a king in the parables,
we think God.
But what if the king in this parable is evil?
So evil that the invited one per centers (those who usually back the empire)
send their excuses regrets.
A king so evil he kills them for not RSVP-ing.
So in order to keep up appearances he invites the townspeople to the party.
And what if Jesus (not one for appearances)
is the One who defies the evil king by not wearing a wedding robe?
In a foretelling of Good Friday,
He is speechless in his defense
and the king orders Him out to the darkness
to His death.
The question is: Are the few that are chosen
the ones opposed to the power of the world/empire?
As we meditate on Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus headed toward Egypt
and away from the evil king,
it is an interesting interpretation to think about.
