Those who say they believe in God

When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’
“Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’” (Luke 14: 15-24)

Christ’s parable of the dinner guests is originally told to the Jews who chose not to welcome Him. We can also apply Jesus’s parable to us. Today as back then, it is Jesus who calls everyone to participate in His Kingdom. May it never happen to those of us who regularly go to church and, thus, receive Jesus's invitation first, find a thousand excuses for not doing His Will concretely each and every day. Otherwise, God will turn his attention to the so-called “fallen away” who, if and when they convert, will pass in front of us on the way to paradise.