its raining in tx!!

Its raining...a slow, steady, soaking rain. Not really a big deal anywhere else right now, except maybe if you live in the Horn of Africa. Texas is experiencing its most severe drought in more than 100 years. I think everyone is very relieved by this rain...hope it is the beginning of a new trend in our weather. I guess I can't really say everyone, though. I know for a fact that there is one very sad little boy here in North Texas...he and his buds. Today was to have been his birthday party. Very exciting stuff, too. A paintball extravaganza and running around in the woods...a young man's dream day. I got the call while I was off getting children to religious ed classes and was not very happy to have to break the news to Nick, who has been looking forward to this for weeks. "Sorry, bud...Shane's mom decided to cancel on account of weather..." Oh, why does it always have to rain when I have something fun to do...

Well, Mr. Nick, did you have anything fun to do yesterday. Or the day before that. Or maybe anytime between today and last spring, which is the last time I seem to remember it raining. But I get it...when we have something planned and we are really looking forward to it, if something, even much needed rain gets in the way, it can be really disappointing.

In today's gospel, Jesus tells us another parable; one about a king giving a wedding banquet for his son.

Matthew 22:1–14

Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: ²The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. ³He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. ⁴Again 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.' ⁵But they made light of it and went away, one to his farm, another to his business, ⁶while the rest seized his slaves, mistreated them, and killed them. ⁷The king was enraged. He sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. ⁸Then he said to his slaves, 'The wedding is ready, but those invited were not worthy. ⁹Go therefore into the main streets, and invite everyone you find to the wedding banquet.' ¹⁰Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests.¹¹But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing a wedding robe, ¹²and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding robe?' And he was speechless. ¹³Then 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.' ¹⁴For many are called, but few are chosen."

In Jesus' parable, the king wanted everything to be amazing for his sons' wedding banquet. In this case, the guest were the one's who chose not to come. As disappointing as it is when something like weather keeps people away, have you ever been on the other side. Having a party and no one shows up :o( Last spring, we chose, unwisely, to have our 6 year old's birthday party on the weekend after the last day of school. Never will do that again. And I am not sure I will ever forgive the parents who chose to blow it off (yes, I will...I will even go confess my forgiveness, but that's not the point of this story!!) She didn't notice. 5 children showed up and we played games and had a great time. But I was mad! How could they just blow it off. I totally get the king. His son just wanted to wed his bride and probably wouldn't have even noticed. But the disrespect...the casual disregard for the king and his feelings. Yeah, there would be gnashing of teeth all right.

Each week God prepares a banquet for us in honor of His son. How many of us easily blow it off or don't bother attending because we don't feel like it. He put a lot of time into planning it. He wants everything to be just right. If we do go, are we prepared with the gift of our preparation? Are we wearing our finest clothes? Are we just crossing a task off our to-do list? Why would we not appreciate the wonderful gift he gives us each week? And we wonder why when many are called, few are chosen...