Getting Ready to Pray
Young men who are making formal application for entrance into the Jesuits are interviewed by four different members of the Society. One such Jesuit interviewing me so many years ago asked if I thought I could give up my “dancing shoes.” He had been one of my English teachers in high school and had chaperoned some of our dances. I assured him I could and I have done so, kind of, especially these later years. Ah, but I digress. And editorialize.
But praying “with” is something like the way I enjoyed what passed for dancing. I never did wonder whether my dates enjoyed my singing along with the music, or my relating deep insights about Latin grammar, or even stories about my daily life. They just kept on dancing.
God does not even have to be asked to dance; God is with us.
Some Thoughts
We hear a strictly messianic prophesy in our First Reading. Israel, as we know from recent liturgies, has often been referred to in terms of vine and vineyard. This is a poetic, hopeful invitation. It is such a spirit of hope, within which there is a hint of a new kind of mountain with a new presentation of God’s goodness.
“On this mountain” God will be doing something surprising and mighty. All people will be invited to the banquet. The veil of death will be removed and everyone will see the goodness of our redeeming God.
“On this mountain” the hand of the saving God will wipe away all reproaches. The Giver will be seen, the God to whom all look for comfort. The banquet and the mountain are images of the person, the messiah, who will welcome, feed, and guard all peoples.
The “veil” of not-knowing-God, will be lifted from all the people because of the abundance of God’s activity. True security will accompany those who receive joyfully the goodness of the Lord.
In the Gospel, Jesus again directs a stinging parable to religious leaders: a king has prepared a huge banquet celebrating his son. Servants, (the prophets within the history of God’s relationship with Israel) are sent by the king to give invitations
These servants are met with some disinterest by those who continue their personal lives. Others mistreat and kill the king’s servants. Prophets in Israel did not have an easy time of it.
“Wedding garment” is a main issue. In high school I attended a dance at a Catholic girl’s school and was not allowed in because I wasn’t wearing a suit coat. I had a white shirt, tie and expensive sweater on, but that wasn’t enough. I shook the dust off of my shoes and off of my shame and never darkened their doors again. (I have a feeling they never missed me either.)
What is the “garment” in Matthew’s writing? Experts in scripture write that it is Baptism, the proper incorporation into the “hall” or community. Others write that the garment is how the invitation has changed the person being called.
Perhaps the invitee just sat there eating and drinking, but not relating selflessly with the others. Perhaps he was even taking food and drink from others. He might not have been acting as someone invited, but as someone entitled. Perhaps he was not even wearing a white shirt and tie and expensive sweater.
Jesus was telling the elders and priests that they were getting tossed out, not because they were unbaptized, but because they had refused to let him into their dance!
The rich suffer want and go hungry,
but nothing shall be lacking to those who fear the Lord.
Psalm 34:11
