Reflecting on the Word

By Dr. Karla J. Bellinger

“What a day this has been!” I sighed to my new wife as the last of the clouds turned orange over the sea. This morning as the sun rose in the eastern sky, my heart had beaten with excitement: the  wedding is coming! We will feast for seven days! The clamor in the kitchens proclaims the abundance to come. My father the king is so kind. My cup will overflow with joy. All will be good. 

Then all was not good. The guests would not come. They rejected his invitation. They mistreated and killed our servants. It felt as though a web of darkness had descended, like a veil covering their eyes. How could they so scorn his generosity? They twisted his open handed invitation into a disaster. I was devastated. 

My father was not going to let me down. He sent out servants to  bring in anyone, anyone at all, shouting into the streets, “Come to  the feast, you will all be well fed!” He knew the new guests wouldn’t  have wedding clothes, for they didn’t know that they would be  invited. I watched the servants carry armloads of garments to the  doors. All would be taken care of. And they started pouring in. The  crippled and the beggars, the hungry and the weary—they all threw on the fine clothes that my father provided. Rich food and choice  wine—oh, they had never tasted such goodness! They lacked for  nothing. (There was one who tried to ruin the day, but enough talk  of calamity.) 

I turn my face to my bride. The look in her eyes and her eager “yes,  yes, and yes!” more than make up for the numerous exclamations of  “no!” this day. The night is here. A blessed new day will dawn.

Consider/Discuss 

  • In what ways do we look into the Bridegroom’s eyes and bring him joy  with our “yes, yes, and yes”? What do we look forward to in the new day  that will dawn? 
  • How has the lavishness of God fed us even when we have not expected it?  What is our responsibility in response to that generosity? 

Living and Praying with the Word 

Lord, you are our God! You have been a refuge to the poor, a  haven to the needy in times of distress. We are the poor. We are the  needy. Sometimes we reject you and push you away and do not let  you clothe us. Strengthen our “yes” so that it becomes eager and  consistent, for we do not ever want to disappoint you. Lavish your  Spirit upon us, for we hunger to partake of your feast.

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