Daily Devotional for December 8

 

December 8                                                Matthew 22: 1-14

Jesus says that in the realm of God "many are called, but few
are chosen." This is not an elitist message, but an important
teaching about the nature of spiritual life.

"Many are called": everyone is invited. God's invitation is a
gift of free grace for all, without exception or precondition.
Both bad and good fill the banquet hall. This is truly good news
for us, especially when we don't feel good or worthy enough,
because we don't have to do anything to be good or worthy
- God accepts us just as we are.  [Street people do not have

wedding clothes... they must be provided.  L.M.]

"Few are chosen": the gift, to be received, requires in us true
repentance. While it is true that we don't have to be righteous
when we hear the invitation and that we can enter God's realm
wearing sin's dirty clothes and still be welcome, it is also true
that once we have come in, we are expected to put on a wed-
ding garment, that is, to live a life that reflects the new life
into which we have entered. In other words, once we are
saved, we are invited to an ongoing transformation so that our
everyday lives will more and more reflect our new spiritual
life. Only then will we have shown that we are properly prac-
ticing our Christian faith.

Today's text invites us to reflect on this tension in the Gospel
message: God's grace is a free gift that we can never deserve,
and yet we can grow in grace by cooperating with it. What
change in your life could you make today that would draw
you closer to God?

          Generous Host, thank you for inviting me to the
   wedding feast today. Help me to make the changes that
        will make your transformation of my life complete.
                                          Amen.

​

From The Road to Emmaus - An inclusive devotional Edited by Joseph W. Houle

Emmaus House of Prayer - Washington D.C.