Readings:
Isaiah 45:1-7
Psalm 96:1-9 (10-13)
1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
Matthew 22:15-22

Collect:
God, our light and our salvation:
illuminate our lives,
that we may see your goodness in the land of the living,
and looking on your beauty
may be changed into the likeness of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Reflection

In last week’s gospel reading, Jesus tells one of several parables about a party – in this case a wedding banquet, to which the original invitees refuse to come, so “the slaves went out into the street and gathered all whom they found, both good and bad; so the wedding hall was filled with guests”. It’s a striking image: a party full of strangers, a mix of all sorts of people, literally brought in off the streets. 

And this, says Jesus, is what the kingdom of heaven is like. Perhaps it ought, then, to be what our churches are like too: somewhere with room at the table for everyone, and room for us to bring our whole selves – the good and the bad – to share in the feast which God provides, and to share it with all sorts of people. 

We are like the slaves in this story: the ones sent out by the Bridegroom to invite everyone in. Our job is not to judge who is worthy of an invitation, or who will fit in best with the people already at the party, but to invite everyone. We do that explicitly when we invite people to church, when we invite and encourage people to go deeper in their journey of faith, when we invite people into new steps on their journey with God, whether that is baptism or confirmation, or trying their hand at a new way of serving others within or beyond the life of the church. 

Invitation in key to enabling people to engage with the Christian faith. Research some years ago by the Church of England Life Events team suggested that if someone had engaged with church for a life event – a baptism, wedding or funeral – it took an average of 9 invitations for them to engage with a church service or event in the future. So if you have been inviting someone and they haven’t responded – yet! – don’t be discouraged. Invitation in itself tells people something important about faith and about Jesus: that he is always ready and waiting for us to turn to him. 

And inviting people into the life of faith is about more than just inviting them along to church. It’s about how we welcome people once they come in, and how we help them to find a place of belonging within our church communities. But it’s also – and perhaps most importantly – about living our lives in ways which make our faith seem attractive to others: “Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Whatever our daily life brings, let us be continually shining that welcoming, inviting light of Christ, which draws people into the life of the kingdom, and the heavenly banquet which God has prepared for all. 

Ruth Harley