A preacher once gave an interesting sermon on the theology of divine election. “The divine election is an election by a majority vote. There are three who are voting; God, the devil, and you. You know what side God will vote on, and you know the devil will vote on the opposite side. Thus, your vote will decide whether you go to heaven or hell.” In the parable, Jesus makes that point as well, observing that many guests flatly refused to come to the banquet, some in rather far fetched ways, I might add.
That was his way of noting that many people, like his critics and fellow Jews, were too busy with their own agendas to find much time for God in their lives. In place of the litanies we heard, we could substitute our own. “Sunday is my one chance to sleep in.” “I can’t get the kids moving in time.” “I don’t like the music or the homilies.” “The Mass isn’t entertaining enough.” “I don’t feel welcomed.” “I’ve been planning this fishing trip for weeks.”
What catches my attention is not how the would-be guests acted but how the king treats the one guest who comes improperly dressed for the occasion. “My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?” The guest was reduced to silence, so the king had him thrown outside. Isn’t he being a bit harsh? Not really. The expelled guest knew the rules; to be at the banquet, he had to come properly attired. In those days, if a guest arrived ill-clad, the host would offer a wedding garment so he could don such a garment but this guest chose not to. If this scenario sounds odd, trying dining at some fancy restaurant that requires a coat and tie. If you have neither, the maitre d’ makes sure you are properly attired.
What was so important about this garment? As the saying goes, clothes make the man. In our case, when we were baptized, we were “clothed in Christ.” We were told, “See in this white garment the outward sign of your Christian dignity. With your family and friends to help you by word and example, bring that dignity unstained into the everlasting life of heaven.” That is our mission. Clothing ourselves with Christ signifies conversion on our part, saying ‘no’ to a life of sin and ‘yes’ to God’s way of living. Such was the life we were voting for when we were baptized.
As the parable suggests, God is a generous host who opened his heavenly feast to all peoples, the bad and the good alike, when the chosen people of Israel declined to attend, but Jesus cautions that this invitation must be accepted on God’s terms. Saying “yes” to the promises we made at our baptism isn’t enough. Just as the king prepared for the banquet, so must the guests. If we expect to remain seated at the heavenly banquet, then we must remain clothed in Christ, that is, we must live by the values Jesus repeatedly proclaims throughout the gospels and continues to proclaim to us through the Church to this day.
Are we listening attentively to God’s word given to us in scripture and elaborated by the teachings of the Church? Are we applying its lessons in our daily lives or, like the expelled guest, are we refusing to abide by God’s expectations of his guests? In other words, do the choices we make and the values we hold suggest that we are voting with God or with the devil?
I once thought that every Catholic knew the Ten Commandments but I learned long ago that isn’t true. No wonder then that the moral attitude of many Catholics has been as varied as the buffet table at any wedding reception. Many Catholics unfortunately ignore certain moral principles because they disagree with them oftentimes without understanding God’s rationale behind them. Those who choose to ignore God’s rules might experience the same fate as the expelled guest. Like him, they may be expecting to feast at the banquet but, as this parable warns, they may find themselves “grinding their teeth” and wondering what went wrong.
It is one thing to be ignorant; it’s another to ignore. Recall what happened to the guest who ignored the rule. We cannot expect to experience the kingdom when we ignore the promises we made at baptism, to reject Satan, and all his works, and all his empty promises. When we sin, we are staining the garment given to us at baptism, the garment of goodness, truth, and love. The unwelcome guest was booted out because he chose not to clothe himself appropriately. Might we be doing the same? Are we ignoring the many opportunities we have to live God’s will? Our everyday living is not inconsequential. Even the little things we do help us to either put on or take off our garment.
If we arrive at the pearly gates without being properly attired, will we have anything to say in our defense or will we, like the banished guest, be reduced to silence? Dare we claim ignorance of God’s moral law as our excuse for making moral choices God condemns? Dare we pass up opportunities for reconciliation with God and neighbor and still be able to defend ourselves? Or will we be left speechless? If the choices we make now hinder us from a deeper loving relationship with God, then the devil could very well get our deciding vote by default as to where we will spend eternity.
Dante, the author of the Divine Comedy, wrote, “If you insist on having your own way, you will get it. Hell is the enjoyment of your own way forever. If you really want God’s way with you, you will get it in heaven, and the pains of purgatory will not deter you, they will be welcomed as means to that end.”
God looks forward to welcoming us to his son’s wedding feast. The choice to be seated at this banquet is ours to make but God will spot the unrepentant sinner or lukewarm believer. Our actions and values each day reveal the vote we ultimately will cast that forever decides our eternal destiny, a vote much more important than the one we will cast on Election Day.