"Preparado Na Ang Pagkaon, Magkadto Na"

Ebanghelyo subong nga Adlaw (Mateo 22:1-14)

Nagtudlo liwat si Jesus sa ila paagi sa paanggid.

Nagsiling siya, "Ang paghari sang Dios pareho sa natabo sa isa ka hari nga nagpreparar sang punsyon para sa kasal sang iya anak nga lalaki.

Ginsugo niya ang iya mga suluguon nga tawgon na ang mga tawo nga iya ginpang-imbitar. Pero ang mga inimbitar indi magtambong.

Ginsugo naman niya ang iban pa gid nga mga suluguon. Siling niya, 'Silingon ninyo ang mga ginpang-imbitar nga naihaw ko na ang mga baka kag ang iban nga mga sapat nga akon ginpatambok kag preparado na ang pagkaon. Gani magkadto na sila diri kag magpamunsyon.'

Pero ang mga tawo nga ginpang-imbitar wala nagsapak. Ang isa nagkadto sa iya uma, kag ang isa sa iya negosyo.

Ang iban iya, gindakop nila ang mga ginsugo sang hari, ginpasipalahan nila kag ginpatay.

Gani naakig gid ang hari. Ginsugo niya ang iya mga soldado nga pamatyon ang nagpamatay sang iya mga suluguon kag sunugon ang ila banwa.

Dayon gintawag niya ang iya mga suluguon kag nagsiling, "Ang punsyon sa kasal sang akon anak preparado na, ugaling ang mga ginpang-imbitar indi takos.

Gani kadto na lang kamo sa mga karsada nga may madamo nga nagaagi kag imbitara ninyo ang tanan nga inyo masugata."

Naglakat ang mga suluguon kag nagkadto sa mga karsada, kag ang tanan nga ila nasugata maayo ukon malain man ginpang-imbitar nila. Kag napuno sang tawo ang kalan-an sa punsyon.

Sang ulihi nagsulod ang hari kay gusto niya nga makita ang mga bisita. May nakita siya didto nga isa ka tawo nga wala nakailis sang bayo nga para sa punsyon.

Gani nagsiling ang hari sa iya, "Amigo, ngaa nakasulod ka diri nga wala nakasuksok sang bayo nga para sa punsyon?" Pero ang tawo wala gid nagtingog kay wala siya sang isabat.

Dayon nagsiling ang hari sa iya mga suluguon, "Gapusa ninyo ang iya kamot kag tiil kag ihaboy didto sa guwa sa madulom. Didto magahibi siya kag magabagrot ang iya ngipon."

Pagkatapos nagsiling si Jesus, "Madamo ang ginatawag sang Dios sa iya ginharian, pero diutay lang ang mga ginapili nga makasulod."

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Meditation:

What can a royal wedding party tell us about God's kingdom? One of the most beautiful images used in the scriptures to depict what heaven is like is the wedding celebration and royal feast given by the King for his newly-wed son and bride. Whatever grand feast we can imagine on earth, heaven is the feast of all feasts because the Lord of heaven and earth invites us to the most important banquet of all – not simply as bystanders or guests – but as members of Christ's own body, his bride the church! The last book in the bible ends with an invitation to the wedding feast of the Lamb – the Lord Jesus who offered his life as an atoning sacrifice for our sins and who now reigns as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The Spirit and the Bride say, Come! (Revelations 22:17). The Lord Jesus invites us to be united with himself in his heavenly kingdom of peace and righteousness.

Why does Jesus' parable of the marriage feast seem to focus on an angry king who ends up punishing those who refused his invitation and who mistreated his servants? Jesus' parable contains two stories. The first has to do with the original guests invited to the marriage feast. The king had sent out invitations well in advance to his subjects, so they would have plenty of time to prepare for coming to the feast. How insulting for the invited guests to then refuse when the time for celebrating came! They made light of the King's request because they put their own interests above his. They not only insulted the King but the heir to the throne as well. The king's anger is justified because they openly refused to give the king the honor he was due. Jesus directed this warning to the Jews of his day, both to convey how much God wanted them to share in the joy of his kingdom, but also to give a warning about the consequences of refusing his Son, their Messiah and Savior.

The second part of the story focuses on those who had no claim on the king and who would never have considered getting such an invitation. The "good and the bad" along the highways certainly referred to the Gentiles and to sinners. This is certainly an invitation of grace – undeserved, unmerited favor and kindness! But this invitation also contains a warning for those who refuse it or who approach the wedding feast unworthily. Grace is a free gift, but it is also an awesome responsibility.

Dieterich Bonhoeffer, a Lutheran pastor and theologian in Germany who died for his faith under Hitler's Nazi rule, contrasted "cheap grace" and "costly grace".

"Cheap grace is the grace we bestow on ourselves ..the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance ..grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ, living and incarnate. ..Costly grace is the gospel which must be sought again and again, the gift which must be asked for, the door at which a man must knock. Such grace is costly because it calls us to follow Jesus Christ. It is costly because it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life."

God invites each of us as his friends to his heavenly banquet that we may celebrate with him and share in his joy. Are you ready to feast at the Lord's banquet table?

"Lord Jesus, may I always know the joy of living in your presence and grow in the hope of seeing you face to face in your everlasting kingdom."