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Gospel Reading for August 20, 2026 – Matthew 22: 1-14
ENTITLED
Jesus again in reply spoke to the chief priests and the elders of the people in parables saying, “The Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. A second time he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’ Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business.The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them.
The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. Then the king said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.’ The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ Many are invited, but few are chosen.”
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This Gospel reading about the Kingdom of Heaven, likened to a wedding feast where those who were invited refused to come, ignored the invitation, and even mistreated or killed the servants who came to deliver it, says a lot about how Jesus, the Son of God, was not welcomed by those who were chosen to be on the guest list. He was rejected by his own people.
Yet, God did not stop there. We, who are considered Gentiles, or non-Jews, have now been invited to the wedding feast. However, we cannot take for granted that simply because we have been invited, we can do as we please. The same Law of Love that Jesus gave to the Jews is the same Law of Love given to us.
In Christianity, no one is ENTITLED. The fact that one became a Christian before others does not make that person more of a Christian, nor does becoming a Christian later make one less of a Christian. What matters is how faithfully we respond to the invitation we have received and how we live out our faith.
Lord Jesus, may we always recognize that our invitation to the heavenly Kingdom is a great blessing and privilege—one that we must never take for granted. May we live our lives worthy of this invitation and remain faithful to you until the end. Amen.
