The Parable of the Wedding Feast is found in Matthew 22:1-14 and in Luke 14:16-24. As usual, it would be good to read these two Gospel readings of the parable before reading this article.
Matthew’s account of the parable of the Wedding Feast has a sting in the tail! It is another of those parables that cause us to react. We fail to understand the apparent harshness of the king in his treatment of the guest – presumably, just brought in off the street – who is not wearing a wedding garment. The temptation, as often happens when we react, is to turn away from the parable with the secret thought that it seems to be unchristian – not unlike our judgment of the wise virgins whose treatment of the unwise seems equally contrary to the gospel values we have learned. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to teach us!
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