“TRINITY 20”
Saint Matthew 22: 1-14
20th Sunday after Trinity: 8 October Anno Domini 2023
Fr Jay Watson, SSP
Jesus is your Savior. Jesus is God. His Words are Him and He is His Words—He is The Word made flesh. His parable is Salvation—His Kingdom, for He is King.
You are not first century Jews. You are not Old Testament Hebrews—Israelites. Jesus is not visibly present and aurally speaking to you like He did that day which Saint Matthew records. All the Jews then—the Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, Lawyers, Herodians, and all the rest that rejected The Holy Spirit using The Messiah’s Words of Kingdom Truth (of Jesus The Truth), perished. They went to hell, because when one rejects Christ, The King, one rejects The Kingdom—Salvation and everlasting life.
The Church, The Saints, your pastor, and frankly, Jesus Himself does not care what you think the parable means. Only Jesus, the Author, can tell you what it means. He does so through the actual voice, on 8 October, by the mouth of his servant(s).
But since you all are Christians; you all are + Baptized (or very soon to be baptized); you all are New Testament Saints and members of His Kingdom, the import of His message from 2,000 years ago takes on a special nuance.
His words do not implore you and call you by The Gospel so that the Spirit would MAKE you a believer. You already believe. Rather, this Word of The Lord, This Parable, shows you HOW you were made a Christian, and warns, guards, and secures you in such a way, that you remain steadfast in The Word—IN The Kingdom with The King in you.
This Kingdom of Heaven IS Jesus, period. He is like a certain king, to be sure. Adam was king—dominion over all of creation. Noah was king, sole ruler over the entire Church and human population after the flood. Abraham was king as the Proto-Patriarch, “THE” father of his descendants and soon of the nations. Moses served as “type” of Christ: prophet, priest, and KING. Samuel too was a type of prophet, priest, and king, as it was he who anointed David to be King (after the aborted reign of Saul). David’s sons all served as “types” of Christ even as did Joseph as “viceroy” of all of Egypt, and Daniel, along with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, served as sub-kingly roles for the benefit of God’s people in Babylon.
But The King now has come in the flesh, born of The Virgin, heralded by angels, testified to by John the Baptist, Martyred to by the Apostles, and forever Gospelled by The Evangelists and their pastor successors.
Your God, your God/Man Jesus is THE SON of His, and yours, heavenly Father, and King, God The Father. His marriage of His Son, Jesus, is your own marriage; your own salvation and adoption into the family and into The Kingdom. No one chooses to be adopted. Adam did not choose or cooperate in becoming man from mud. Noah did not decide to build a boat and Abram did not call himself to Canaan. David was minding his own business…as were the fishermen at the Sea of Galilee, as were all of you as babies and infants. NO. The King, sent His servants to bid you to the wet wedding at the 8-sided font. The Holy Spirit had you come to your nuptial union with God made flesh. Say a prayer daily of thanksgiving to your parents, guardians, baptismal sponsors, or whomever served as servants of The King in bidding and ensuring you were at the wood of the font, the rail, the pulpit, the altar to receive the Kingdom from the wood of the crucifix.
Many refuse to come. They are guilty even as babies if they are not baptized. They are guilty as young people and adults if they REFUSE Baptism and catechesis and participation in their Kingdom duties—which are actually joys.
Ah, I preach to the choir this morning.
You were bidden by The Spirit working in you, working with The Faith He has bestowed in you, to call you by The Gospel (The King; Jesus) to be here today at 9:00 am. You are here. The ox and the fatlings have not been killed but rather The Lamb of God, The King Himself, was killed, but now is ALIVE, IS LIFE, to be dined upon. This marriage feast, every Sunday, gives forgiveness (for you sins against The King/Kingdom) and gives strength, spiritual vitality, and the pledge of immortality.
Never be one who spurns The Kingdom on Sunday to go to the “farm,” i.e., your alternative pursuits that stimulate your desires and wills. Your “merchandise” leads to hell. Only The Meal of Mercy solidifies the gift of heaven/Kingdom you have already been given.
The King has no wrath directed at you now, for His wrath was poured out on His Son, King Jesus on the cross. You and yours will not be burned up like a pagan city because He burned His Son on the tree with the sin and sins of the world—your trespasses and murders.
The highways and byways are continually scoured by The King, and His Holy Spirit, and His pastors for all the others not yet here in the Wedding Hall.
Pray for them. Pray for them daily.
But rejoice in your presence here this morning for He is present for you. He has placed His white wedding garment upon you. The King has chosen you to be His Kingdom The Church. My fellow Bride, come to the feast to eat and drink.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
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