Breaking the Word

Jesus again in reply spoke to them 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 he 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." (Mt 22:1-14)

According to today’s reading, the kingdom of heaven is a place of celebration. Yesterday it was a place of work. Kingdom is inclusive of all types activities. Since it is a place of wedding feast the servants are sent around to invite and welcome the guests. Usually in the society, all the invited guests come and join in the celebration. It is the social celebrations and to come together is a social value. Most people respect the invitation. Friends, relatives and people of respect are invited.

Feast is ready and the celebration must go on. Only the people are missing. The king wants the celebration hall to be filled in. The criteria of the society are not followed up in this kingdom celebration. In the society friends, relatives and people of honour are important. But here those criteria do not work. The only criterion is that people should come in for the celebration.

One man is punished because he did not have the wedding garment. But most of the people who came for this feast were from the streets and where did they get their wedding garment from? When did they get time to change or where did they go to change their dress? This is a parable and this story talks about the values of the kingdom: love, truth, justice, mercy, holiness etc. If one does not have these values then he himself is not willing to be part of the kingdom but has entered in without the knowledge of the kingdom and hence he is sent out.

"The kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out at dawn to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with them for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. Going out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and he said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just.' So they went off. (And) he went out again around noon, and around three o'clock, and did likewise. Going out about five o'clock, he found others standing around, and said to them, 'Why do you stand here idle all day?' They answered, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You too go into my vineyard.' When it was evening the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, 'Summon the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and ending with the first.' When those who had started about five o'clock came, each received the usual daily wage. So when the first came, they thought that they would receive more, but each of them also got the usual wage. And on receiving it they grumbled against the landowner, saying, 'These last ones worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us, who bore the day's burden and the heat.' He said to one of them in reply, 'My friend, I am not cheating you. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you? (Or) am I not free to do as I wish with my own money? Are you envious because I am generous?' Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last."  (Mt 20:1-16)

Kingdom of heaven is not a place of rest. It is a place where one goes to work. The owner invites people to work. It is not a work for nothing. The work brings reward. Interesting factors are that one can be called to come for work at anytime. The kingdom is not controlled by time or talent. It is open to anyone. It is an inclusive place. It includes everyone and entry is free and at anytime.

In the kingdom also we find grumblers. People come in with secular (social) mind. Their thinking is controlled by social values and social systems. They expect to be treated as they would be in the society. They expect social stratifications. They expect rewards according to their work. They expect the rule ‘first come first served’ to be practiced and hoped that the first come to be well paid etc.

But the attitude of the owner is important. He does the things that are not in a society. They are in the kingdom. Kingdom is a place where there are no criteria for entry. There is no time limit. The owner is a generous person and he is a good person. His goodness causes envy among people. He continues to be what he is.