But one by one, they all began to excuse themselves.
The feast is ready. The banquet is set. The LORD sets a table before us in the presence of our enemies. Why do we excuse ourselves? What excuses are keeping us away?
I have purchased a field and must go to examine it;
I ask you, consider me excused.
And another said, ‘I have purchased five yoke of oxen
and am on my way to evaluate them;
Are the things of this world such a distraction that we can't stop staring at them? Are we unable to spare our attention for the banquet because we have to "examine" and "evaluate" these things we own? Do they in fact own us? This doesn't even sound particularly fun. It sounds a lot more like work which our material pursuits force upon us.
And another said, ‘I have just married a woman,
and therefore I cannot come.’
Even something as great as marriage shouldn't keep us away. It isn't meant to keep us locked within our own world. Marriage in particular needs to grace and strength which comes from the banquet of the Kingdom of God.
Instead of letting our individuality draw us to separate paths we should put them to use for the Kingdom. Our individuality can end in isolated material and worldly pursuits. But it is not meant to.
Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us,
let us exercise them
Our individuality is meant to be in service to the Kingdom. The banquet invitations don't just go out to one sort of person who fits in one specific mold. They go out to a variety of people. The celebration is much more rich when we realize that our individuality and gifts are meant to enrich it.
if prophecy, in proportion to the faith;
if ministry, in ministering;
if one is a teacher, in teaching;
if one exhorts, in exhortation;
if one contributes, in generosity;
if one is over others, with diligence;
if one does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
When our individuality brings us together for the kingdom instead of isolating us in the world we become able to love one another from sincere hearts. The things that matter most in reality finally matter most to us.
Let love be sincere;
hate what is evil,
hold on to what is good;
love one another with mutual affection;
anticipate one another in showing honor.
Once we get a taste of this we must pursue it.
Do not grow slack in zeal,
be fervent in spirit,
serve the Lord.
Rejoice in hope,
endure in affliction,
persevere in prayer.
Growing slack in zeal is possible even for the great prophets, ministers, and teachers of the Church. But it is by no means inevitable. We can remain zealous. We can continue to rejoice in the hope we have in Jesus and to persevere in prayer. This is the strength we need to endure even the worst afflictions. It is the strength we need to come to the feast even when some of the guests seem like our enemies, when they are at such different places from us both emotionally and spiritually.
Bless those who persecute you,
bless and do not curse them.
Rejoice with those who rejoice,
weep with those who weep.
These sorts of situations tempt us to go off and stare at the things we own. But let's be zealous! Let's serve the LORD with joy, relying on prayer for strength to sustain us. Then, instead of the sort of attention disorder that normally makes us turn aside to our own pursuits we can say with the psalmist:
Nay rather, I have stilled and quieted
my soul like a weaned child.
Like a weaned child on its mother’s lap,
so is my soul within me.
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