Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying:  "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son.  He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come.  Again he sent other slaves, saying, 'Tell those who have been invited: Look, I have prepared my dinner, my oxen and my fat calves have been slaughtered, and everything is ready; come to the wedding banquet.'  But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them.  The king was enraged.  He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.  Then he said to his slaves, 'The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy.  Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.'  Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.  "But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?'  And he was speechless.  Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'  For many are called, but few are chosen."

The king gave a wedding feast for his son.  In the case of the Word, the wedding feast is the Son.  In the first round of invitations there is a select set of invited guests, in the second round everyone is invited.  Therefore in the first round the invitations were to the Chosen People Israel.  The first time the servants go out the invitation is given, but silently.  Can this be considered the invitation via the covenants?  The second time the servants go out there is speaking, much speaking and the result is persecution of the messengers.  Surely this represents the prophets, who clearly spoke the words which are written here in this parable (see "come to the rich banquet" in Isaiah 25.6-10 and many other places in the prophecy books).  The king becomes enraged "because he wants his house to be full" and "so that where I am you also may be" (John).  What becomes of those who reject the unspeakable mysterious gift of revelation of God, by God, in God himself - the Logos?  They are destroyed, perhaps, if we may say it, not out of spite but there is no other mode of existence in the end: either end up in the banquet of the Word, feasting on the Word, or consume yourself alone in the darkness outside.

In the second round of invitations clearly it is the Gentiles - everyone else - who is invited.  No distinction is made - even the evil are invited but of course they will have to repent.  So the net is thrown out and brings in everything, which is great, but the contents will be sifted through.  The man who is silent when facing the king makes the critical mistake of not repenting on the spot, forsaking his wickedness and begging for mercy.  What did he expect, that the king would overlook his improper dress with no action on his part?  Do we receive forgiveness if we do not ask for it, do not repent or show any intention of repenting?  You therefore who have been invited to the eternal feast of the Word change your life while you still may, so that you may feast forever on the lamb who was slaughtered for you.  Do not say "this is too much for me" (as some replied to Christ when he taught them about the Eucharist) and do not choose your business and affairs in this life before the free and mysterious invitation of God.