One of the most beautiful images used in the Scriptures to depict what heaven is like is the wedding celebration and royal feast
given by the King for his son and bride. Whatever grand feast we can imagine on earth, heaven is the Feast of all Feasts because the Lord of heaven and earth invites us to the most important banquet of all—not simply as bystanders or guests—but as
members of Christ’s own body, his bride the church! In the last book, Revelation, we see the same kind of invitation to the wedding feast of the Lamb—Jesus Christ the Son of God who offered his life as an atoning sacrifice for our sins, who invites and
tells us “Come.” The Lord Jesus invites us to be united with himself in his heavenly kingdom of peace and righteousness.

Jesus’ parable contains two stories. The first has to do with the original guests invited to the marriage feast. The king had sent
out invitations well in advance to his subjects, so they would have plenty of time to prepare for coming to the feast. How insulting for the invited guests to then refuse when the time for celebrating came! Because they put their own interests above his
invitation and denied the Feast, they not only insulted the King but the heir to the throne as well. The king’s anger is justified
because they openly refused to give the king the honor he was due.

The second part of the story focuses on those who had no claim on the king and who would never have considered getting
such an invitation. The “good and the bad” along the highways certainly referred to the Gentiles (non-Jews) and to sinners. This
is certainly an invitation of grace—undeserved, unmerited, favor and kindness! But this invitation also contains a warning for
those who refuse it or who approach the wedding feast unworthily. God’s grace is a free gift, but it is also an awesome responsibility.

The opening of Heaven on earth is called Mass. During the Mass that is what happens; the whole heaven will be opened in front of
us. Every day on the altar of the Lord, the Father prepares the Wedding Feast of his own and is inviting you and me to come
and to take part in it. Do we really understand that? Do we try to make time to go and celebrate that feast together with His
Son? We are invited for it every day. When we were all little, we used to go to the church everyday no matter whether it was
cold or raining. Parents used to go for the early Mass at 5:30 AM and the kids would get up and go for the following Mass, like
6:30 or 7 AM. After taking part in the Holy Eucharist, we would go to school or others go to their jobs. The Holy Eucharist is part
and parcel of our day-to-day lives. If we don’t go for Mass, it is as if we lost the whole day. Try not to refuse the invitation at
any time. It is the Grace that we receive from that, and that Grace makes us stronger and stronger in our Faith and in Christ
Jesus.

With gratitude, love, and prayers,
Fr. Charley