1- A certain man held a feast
On his fine estate in town.
He laid a festive table,
He wore a wedding gown,
He sent out invitations
To his neighbours far and wide,
But when the meal was ready
Each of them replied:
R- I cannot come,
I cannot come to the banquet,
Don't trouble me now,
I have married a wife,
I have bought me a cow,
I have fields and commitments,
That cost a pretty sum,
Pray hold me excused
I cannot come.
2- The master rose up in anger
Called his servants by name, said
Go into town, fetch the blind and the lame
Fetch the peasant and the pauper
For this I have willed:
My banquet must be crowded,
And my table must be filled.
R- I cannot come,
I cannot come to the banquet,
Don't trouble me now,
I have married a wife,
I have bought me a cow,
I have fields and commitments,
That cost a pretty sum,
Pray hold me excused
I cannot come.
3- When all the poor had assembled
There was still room to spare,
So the master demanded:
Go search everywhere.
Search the highways and the byways,
And tell them to come in
My table must be filled
Before the banquet can begin.
R- I cannot come,
I cannot come to the banquet,
Don't trouble me now,
I have married a wife,
I have bought me a cow,
I have fields and commitments,
That cost a pretty sum,
Pray hold me excused
I cannot come.
4- Now God has written a lesson
For the rest of mankind:
If we are slow in responding
He may leave us behind.
He is preparing a banquet
For that great and glorious day,
When the Lord and Master calls
Us be certain not to say:
R- I cannot come,
I cannot come to the banquet,
Don't trouble me now,
I have married a wife,
I have bought me a cow,
I have fields and commitments,
That cost a pretty sum,
Pray hold me excused
I cannot come.
[American Medical Mission Sister Miriam Therese Winter based on Matthew 22. 1966, collection “Joy is Like the Rain“]
“Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come.
So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.''
“For many are invited, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:8-10,14
What will you do with your invitation?
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