21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year C
Jesus went through one town and village after another, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem.
Jesus tells the parable in today's Gospel reading as he is making his way to Jerusalem, the most holy city for the Jewish people. In Jerusalem was the Temple, where people came from all over (east and west, north and south) to worship God. Along the way people would walk with Jesus, listening to what he had to say as they travelled, learning about God, and coming to know God.
It seems like there are two groups of people in the parable: those who eat in the Kingdom of God, and those the master does not seem to recognize. At least, the master says he does not know where they came from.
‘Lord, open to us,’ then in reply he will say... ‘I do not know where you come from.’ ...Then people will come from east and west, from north and south, and will eat in the kingdom of God.
Who are the people who eat in the Kingdom of God? Why do they get to be there? What can we say about them?
I want to be one of those people.
And who are the other people?
‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ But he will say, ‘I do not know where you come from.’
The Master does not say he doesn't know them--so he might know who they are--but he says he doesn't know where they have come from. They say that they ate and drank with Jesus, and know that Jesus "taught in their streets,"--back in their home towns. Have they been walking with Jesus all the way along? It seems that they have just suddenly showed up at the door, wanting to get in.
Is that good enough?
"you taught in our streets."
Does it say they listened to what he taught? I wonder if they know what he taught?
We know, though, don't we?