When one of those eating at the table heard Jesus speak of the Great Wedding Banquet, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.”
Jesus replied with a parable: “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 am not ready right now. I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’
“Another said, ‘I am not ready right now. I have just bought five yoke of oxen. I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’
“Still another said, 'Please understand, I just got married, so I can’t come.’
“The servant came back and reported all the excuses to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Please hurry! Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the city and bring into the great banquet all the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’
Not long after he returned. “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there are still some spaces left in the dining room.’
“Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out beyond the city to the roads and country lanes. Compel them all, the strangers, travelers and pilgrims to come into town, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those who were invited with all their excuses will get a taste of even a morsel from my banquet.’”
Luke 14:15-24
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