GOD'S INVITATION OF LOVE - "MANY ARE CALLED, FEW ARE CHOSEN."
Twenty-eighth Sunday in Ordinary Time
"Many are invited, but few are chosen" (Mt. 21:1-14)
Today's Gospel reminds us of something deeply beautiful: God never stops inviting us into His love. He is like a king who prepares a wedding feast for his son, opening his doors and welcoming everyone to share in his joy. What touches my heart most is that the king does not give up when his invitation is rejected. He continues to send his servants, inviting more people to come. This is the love God has for us. Even when we are distracted, even when we turn away, even when we fail to recognize His presence, even when we turn our back to God, He continues to call us.
How often do we behave like those invited guests? We become so occupied with our responsibilities, worries, ambitions, and daily routines that we forget the One who gives meaning to everything we do. God invites us to spend time with Him in prayer, to receive Him in the Eucharist, to forgive someone who has hurt us, or to show kindness to someone in need. Yet sometimes, we respond, "Lord, not now. I am too busy." This is my personal dilemma! If you didn’t know I was retired, you would think I was working a job! There are so many directions I am being pulled in, some in the name of God. And still, God waits for me with a loving heart.
The question is, why did the king turn away the guest who entered the wedding feast without a wedding garment? At first, this may seem difficult to understand. Why would someone who was invited be turned away? But the wedding garment reminds us that accepting God's invitation is more than simply showing up. It is about allowing His love to change our hearts and lives. The garment represents the new life we are called to put on—a life of faith, humility, forgiveness, compassion, and genuine love.
We may attend Mass, say our prayers, and fulfill our religious duties, but the Lord also looks into our hearts. Are we becoming more patient? Are we learning to forgive? Do we treat others with kindness, especially those who cannot give us anything in return? Are we willing to let go of our pride, resentment, and selfishness?
These are the questions this Gospel gently places before us.
What gives me hope is that God does not invite us because we are already perfect. He invites us because He loves us and desires to transform us. He welcomes us with our weaknesses, our wounds, and our struggles. All He asks is that we open our hearts and minds and allow His grace to make us new. Perhaps the greatest tragedy in life is not that God stops calling us, but that we become too busy or too comfortable to hear His voice.
Today, Jesus reminds us that heaven is a joyful banquet prepared for us by a Father who longs to have His children close to Him. We are not strangers to God’s heart. We are loved, wanted, and invited. May we never take His invitation for granted. May we not only hear His call but respond with a heart that is ready to honor, love, serve, forgive, and follow Him. And when the Lord looks at us, may He find not a perfect person, but a humble heart sincerely trying each day to become more like Him. “Many are called; few are chosen”.
Author: Recently retired, Coach Owens taught Catholic Theology for over thirty years. His areas of study include “Sacred Scripture & The Black Catholic Experience.” He has taught in Catholic high schools in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and the Diocese of Arlington. He has given talks in all three dioceses: Baltimore, Washington, and Arlington. He has studied in the following schools. Mount St. Mary’s University, Emmitsburg, Md. Washington Theological Union, Washington, DC. The Dominican House of Studies, Washington, DC. Xavier University-Institute of Black Catholic Studies, New Orleans, Louisiana. Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, California.
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