“Jesus said “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. He senthis slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come.'” (Matthew 22:2-3)
Recently we were invited to my niece’s wedding. We saved so we could attend, since we have a very low income. Our bride knew this and asked that we come anyhow, and forget a gift. “Aunt Theresa you two ARE a gift, just be there, pleeeeease!” We did everything we could to attend and I didn’t tell Steve I was delaying having a tooth pulled. Steve came up with income so we could give a gift.
I wasn’t sorry then and not sorry now. I have a picture in my mind that has a happy ending.
About 11 years ago my brother-in-law Richard had a brain stem stroke, a very deadly stroke as it affects the entire brain and both sides of the body, with very low chance of survival. I remember this niece, his youngest daughter, standing over his bed saying “Dad you can’t die, you have to walk me down the aisle someday.”
He has recovered to such a point he did indeed walk her down that aisle, and he danced at her wedding. It was a joy lost on nobody who attended. Every wedding is an invitation to joy from God because it signals an answer to the Holy Spirit’s call to increase life.
When God asks us to share in such a joy, what could possibly hold us back? It can only be something in us, not something in God’s invitation. Because God can do no evil in His invitations to join Him in joy.
Dear Lord Jesus, through the love You hold for us within Your Most Sacred and Eucharistic Heart never allow us to stop up our ears to Your call. Through the love You have for Mary and Joseph, please protect our marriages and bless them with children, that we may raise them up for Your greater Glory. Amen.
Thank you very much for sharing this great story.
Thank you so much for this beautiful and astute reflection. Thanks also for the reminder that our "job" as believers is always to promote the culture of life. This goes way beyond family and children. The attitude of "life" should be in everything we say, do, think (write). "I have come so that they may have life and have it to the full." (Jn 10:10)