“THE GOOD NEWS IS THE SUPPER”
Saint Matthew 22: 1-14
20th Sunday after Trinity: 14 October Anno Domini 2018
Father Jay Watson SSP
The Good News is The Supper. The Supper is Jesus. Jesus is real, and here, for you. Jesus is your answer. Jesus is your forgiveness and rest.
The kingdom of heaven is foreign to people who are not its citizens. The kingdom in reality is a large extended family. The family is not understood or accepted by those not related. In fact, those outside the bloodline absolutely cannot choose to become part of the family. One must be adopted. There have been a whole lot of adoptions. But, it may not look that way because there are so many more, thousands, millions, of outsiders who run away in selfish, deluded, disgust at being in the family.
The prodigal son left his family, insulted his father, took an inheritance before he was entitled, and departed to a different family—a family of “me, myself, and I.” Moses had 40 long years of dealing with reprobate rebels who did not want to be the “children of Israel” but rather lusted to be their own kings, queens, and princes of self and all the selfish “deities” of Canaan.
And then there’s the unique, post-Middle Ages heresy of individualism, conscience, rugged independence, democracy, and worship of reason and science (i.e. worship of self) that rejects being under a King Who is King. And the King has rules that are rules. The Commandments of The King do actually command; they demand; they require; there are punishments for failure “to do” and for “doing what is forbidden.”
“I gotta be me” is the imbecilic mantra of almost everybody, and it’s damningly insane. It’s devilish. The “me” that the ingrate, break-away, pagan strives to be is what he or she already is…lost and condemned. It’s the siren-song of the snake to Eve. It’s the sinful lust of Adam for the crown.
The marriage is the faith. The wedding is the joining together of Groom and Bride. Two metaphors going on here, to be sure, but… Yes, as brothers and sisters you are united in one huge extended family of adoption—of salvation by The King’s never-ending gracious favor, mercy, love, and forgiveness. But in an even more mysterious and Holy “incorporating” way, you as Church, you as Bride of The Lamb, become One with The Groom. This is not physical in a sexual way. This is not sentimental and pietistic in a “spiritually” vacuous, mental-thought experiment “protestant” way. No, this is a deep, mystagogical, Pauline [Ephesians], Scriptural way. What The King promised in Genesis He gives in all its fullness in, first, Holy Baptism, where you are buried with Christ in His death, and then raised with The Living King in His glorious Easter triumph. But even that gracious God-Work is but the penultimate peak. There is the apex, the ultimate consummation of Grace and Forgiveness that comes in The Holy Supper. The Personal Union of Christ is the union in one Jesus of His human nature (Man) and His Divine nature (God). The Sacramental Union is that what was for a time ONLY bread and wine, is now, having been changed, by the Change effecting, creating, life-bringing Word, is His actual, true, and real Body and Blood. And the mystical union is that you receive into your bodies, nothing spiritual, i.e. nothing that is only representational or symbolic, but rather you do eat and drink the Body and Blood of Jesus. Jesus unites you with Himself. “In Christ” means more than mental agreement. This is the greatest mystery save only The Trinity and the Incarnation.
The fact, the reality, that almost everyone refuses to come to the wedding feast, the marriage banquet, is that they don’t want to come. There’s nothing wrong with the Supper. There’s nothing wrong with the server or the attendants, or the other guests. There’s nothing that can be done to make the whole affair more attractive, palatable, winsome, fetching, engaging, contemporary, or needful. People are bidden and when they don’t come it’s because they don’t believe; they don’t want to come.
The Church, the Bride, those in The Lord’s family, can’t presume to know the hidden thoughts of The Blessed Trinity. You have no right to second-guess The Lord and His Election, from all eternity, those Who belong to Him and who will, sooner or later, wind up with you at The Feast—side by side with you at the communion rail. That is The Lord’s Work, His desire, that all men would be saved.
Jesus prepared the dinner. He did the work of gathering the ingredients of obedience and completion. He had the “oxen” of His own sacrificial Body given and shed on Calvary. He had, and has, His servants, stewards, and servers, at the ready for the weekly Mass. You who are here do your joyful service in inviting others, in sharing the joy that the Communion creates in you. You go into the highways and gather good and bad. There are those who come. They are taught. They are catechized. They are + baptized and are given their wedding garment of adoption.
You are here. Jesus is overjoyed. He is not speechless and neither are you. You have been called. You have been chosen. And now, the “foretaste of the heavenly feast to come” begins with The most Holy Sacrament—The Supper of God. Jesus The Good News is The Supper. Eat and Drink. Be forgiven.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
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