Pentecost 22 Year A

Pentecost 22 Year A Matt. 22:1-14 The Rev. Benton Quest

One thing you may have noticed if you have spent any time studying the Bible is that there are a series of fairly consistent metaphors used throughout. This morning, we deal with one of the most common: The Banquet.

The Banquet can almost always be thought of as representing the Reign of God, of as Jesus would say in today’s gospel; “The Kingdom of God.” I tend to use the translation, “Reign of God” because the Greek word tends to connote more a feeling of “time” or “era” than of place. So the “Reign of God” or the “Reign of Heaven” is probably a better translation.

But almost without fail, when we find Jesus and the disciples eating, or there is a mention of feasts or banquets, we can be assured that we are about to learn something about God and Heaven. In today’s reading, a wedding banquet takes center stage. (Oh, by the way, weddings are another metaphor for heaven.) Having said that, we should be on the look out for what we can learn.

Now, there are various types of guests invited to the wedding banquet. The first group consisted of the guests who were the ones who knew about the banquet in advance. But this group chose to make other plans; they could not be bothered to vary their routine in order to go to the banquet. Then there was the group that was invited after the first group backed out of the meal. For this group, the banquet was unexpected, but they made time and went.

However, there was one small problem with this group: within this group, one person did not do the host the honor of dressing up. We don’t know why this person did not take the time to dress for the party. We don’t know if he even had something he could have worn. This is not something we are told. What we are told is that he did not dress for the banquet and because of that, he incurred the wrath of the King.

The others from this group; they were the ones who received an invitation to the banquet and came, with proper respect for the host, and we can assume they had a great time eating, drinking, and being merry.

So while reading this parable, I was trying to come up with something that would help us understand what Jesus is trying to tell us about the Kingdom of Heaven. What I came up with is the three ways we approach food in our country.

The first group, the group that was too busy to come to the banquet, I like to call the “Drive-Thru’s.” These are the people who just can’t find time in their busy schedules to stop and eat. For them, food is utilitarian, just a necessary chore that gets in the way of all the other things in life. They know about eating, but just fit it in where they can. Like the guests, they are not part of the party. They are not part of the community. They just buzz through and seem to be unable to enjoy the gift of the meal. They seem so busy trying to grab all that life has to offer that they never really are able to hold onto anything. They end up going with Drive-Thru: The food is utilitarian but not really good. The company is coincidental, and the most important thing appears to be what is going to happen next.

The guy who appears at the banquet but is not properly dressed reminds me of the “Fast Food” people. They are different from the “Drive-Thru” folks because they actually do stop. There may be some time spent in slowing down from the pace of life and enjoying the company of others. But this stopping and slowing is secondary to the problems of life. The “Fast Food” people can quickly become the “Drive-Thru” people; just a little error in the daily schedule and suddenly all of life is knocked loose. The “Fast Food” people can’t dress for the meal because there are still things to do and people to see. They rush in, have food, and leave. The trials of life still hang heavy on the “Fast Food” people.

Then we have the “Banquet” people. These are the folks who take the time to slow down and enjoy what is happening. They honor their host by showing respect for occasion through their dress and behavior. They are present, not just for the food, but also for the company, the conversation, and the joy of the event. They are choosing to be present and to participate in the joy that is right there, at that time. Granted, there may be other things in life, but if we are truthful, the joy of the banquet is probably much greater than anything else that could be happening.

So if we take these various types of people and use them as examples of our Christian walk, what kind of guest would we be?

Are we the Christian who is so busy with all the things of life that we totally disregard the feast that is set before us? Do we dishonor the King by not taking the time to enjoy all the delights that have been prepared? Do we tell the King, by our actions, that the delights at another party are probably better?

Or do we come to the feast but aren’t really there? Do we make a token effort to be present, but aren’t willing to truly invest our time what surrounds us? Are we depriving ourselves of the wonder of dining with the King simply because we may be late for another event?

These two groups can be thought of as negative examples of what it means to be Christians. These are examples of people we aren’t supposed to follow. But the third group, the “Banquet” people, theirs is the example to follow. To follow their example would make us Christians who are present, prepared, and ready to enjoy the party!

One thing we need to remember: Although when we usually talk about banquets, we talk about sumptuous food, the food is really the least important element of the banquet. What is more important is the friendship, the laughter, and the stories that are shared around the table. What is more important is that feeling of timelessness that occurs when we gather with others at a meal. A banquet can occur around a plate of macaroni and cheese. But people can also turn prime-rib into a Drive-Thru experience. What makes eating a banquet is one’s attitude, not what is served.

This banquet attitude is what Christ wants for our lives and for our faith. Christ does not want us to have some kind of quick Drive-Thru, Fast Food kind of faith. Christ wants us to live our lives in the here and the now, enjoying the bounty that is set before us. The Reign of Heaven is the awareness of that a world of wonder and delight surround us. The person sitting next to us. The miracle of the car we drove in. The clothes we are wearing and the building that provides protection from the elements. All of these things are part of the delights that the banquet of God has for us.

To paraphrase Rosalind Russell from the movie, Auntie Mame, “Life is a banquet and most poor [fools] are starving to death!”

And with our economy tanking around us, it would be very easy to think that the age of banquets has past. But to believe this would be to betray something other than a Banquet faith. Remember, a banquet faith reminds us to take time to enjoy the delights that are present right here and right now. Honor the King by finding joy in all that has been created. It is not the fillet mignon that makes the feast but the joy and company of those around us.

God calls us to the wedding feast and Christ calls us to the table. Each of us is called, but it is up to us to choose how we will respond. Will we respond by stating that we are just too busy for the great gifts that have been prepared for us? Will we be too concerned with what may happen next to fully enjoy the life we have been given now? Or will we show up at the banquet, dressed in our finest? Will we take a seat at the table and dine with the King? Will we realize that God has given us the prime rib of life, even if the economy is full of bologna?

The feast is ready! Are you prepared to attend?