The Gospel reiterates that the backbone of faith is the gift, and at the source, “THE” original gift: “If you knew the gift of God!”
Today’s parable tells it well: there is a feast in town, the most important of feasts, the king’s son is getting married. Religion breathes the air of festivity; its source is the gift of God. The story revolves around three images: an empty room, the search in the streets, and a wrong dress.
It starts with chuckles and hustles to finish the preparation but soon swerves into disbelief. The empty room reveals a letdown as having half-empty churches with uneaten bread from heaven with God’s touch. In our hectic lives, fearing missing out, we binge outside but remain thirsty and hungry for sacred food and drink; little do we know that the king’s feast will have it all.
Though the king’s hall is empty, rejection does not revoke the gift. How beautiful is this God who rejected, instead of lowering expectations, raises them: call everyone!
He extends, enlarges, goes further, and readies to give much joy. From the many invited, he upgrades to “all invited;” from the city’s notables, he elevates to “let them all in, bad and good.”
They all receive a tunic because the king’s embrace confirms they are loved.
One man ‘without a tunic’ confuses arrogance with beauty; “I don’t want to change;” he is cast out, not because he is worse than others, but because he is dull inside, without a party in his heart.