All are welcome – it is a common refrain – we want to be welcoming – we do not want to be exclusionary – Christ died for the salvation of the world – not just those with money – or who are polite and cultured - not just those who are good enough – we are all sinners and look to Christ for salvation – the Kingdom of Heaven is indeed like a wedding feast. - The banquet hall will be filled – filled with whoever might be found – “bad and good alike” – All are called to the wedding feast – Indeed, all are welcome in the kingdom of Heaven.
But not all are present – many are missing – there are those who refuse to come – however there is another who is absent at the feast – not because he does not try and come – he does - but he is cast out – “‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ Many are invited, but few are chosen.” – … – that does not sound very welcoming – and why was he cast out? He was not dressed in a wedding garment. – How does this make sense if all are welcome? – perhaps there is another question to ask first – if all are welcome – to what are they welcome?
Consider a bowling league – all are welcome – but it is a bowling league – it makes no sense to try and join – but demand that the pins are removed, the game played on a diamond with 90 feet between base, and the goal is to run around the bases after hitting the ball to score runs – … -Then it is not a bowling league – but a baseball league – if one does not like bowling – they cannot say they are excluded because they do not enjoy bowling – All are welcome – but to what are they welcome? – in this case – a bowling league.
Consider a formal event – perhaps at a nice restaurant in Paris – it is a formal event – that has a dress code – if someone enters in shorts and a tee shirt, it is no longer a formal event – in fact, that person will be turned away at the door – all are welcome at the restaurant – but welcome to a formal occasion – one must dress in accord with the event or they will be turned away – The guest does not get to redefine what they are invited too.
So what of the parable of the wedding feast? The guests – good and bad – are invited to a wedding feast – all are welcome – but to what are they welcome? - They do not get to define what that entails - one must wear their wedding garment, or it is not a wedding feast – The king defines what the feast entails – not the guests.
And so it is with the Church. - Today, we hear of many who complain about how exclusionary the Church is – why do we not let everyone receive communion? Why do we not tolerate this or that action – why do we call this or that sinful? Why not just not accept people who believe or act as they want? – Because that would be to reject the Church!
Many superficial things can change – however, the faith is “the faith that was once for all handed down to the saints.” – Divine Revelation is nothing other than God’s revelation of himself - The Church is the Church founded by Christ – We do not get to say what the Church is – or who God is – or, as we are created in the likeness and image of God – what we are. We did not create the heavens and the earth; God did – We did not create ourselves and our purpose – God did - We did not bring the forgiveness of sins – Christ did by his death and resurrection – we did not open the gates of Heaven – Christ did in his ascension. We did not earn the right to Heaven – it is a gift – we cannot define it – only accept it. - … - To change it is to reject God and his gift -it is to replace Christ’s Church with that of man – and the church of man does not lead to Heaven.
Why is not everyone welcome to receive communion? In a way, they are – but they must profess the faith and be baptized, initiated into the Catholic faith – to believe and live as a practicing Catholic – to this, all are welcome – but if one seeks to receive on one’s own terms – even in grave sin – even in opposition to Christ? Well, that is like the man entering the banquet without a wedding garment – as St Paul puts it – “For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.” – It is a lie that brings condemnation.
The man was cast out because he wanted to enter on his terms – but that is not how anything works, even in our own human experience – he was welcome on the invitation of the king – not his own – so he must enter in light of the gift – accepting it - so also for us.
All are welcome – but to what are they welcome? – To the faith, “the faith that was once for all handed down to the saints.” – To be baptized and believe in the gospel. To die with Christ so that one might be raised with him. Once baptized – to receive the body and blood of Christ – Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity – to be united with Christ – an invitation that must be accepted, not demanded on any terms other than the free gift already offered.