Universal Utterings

for August 20, 2026

A Godcast

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08-20-2026 Matthew 22 v0114 Many Are Invited Few Are Chosen

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The Gospel of Matthew Chapter 22 Verse 1 thru 14

1 Jesus again in reply spoke to them in parables, saying, 2 “The kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. 3 He dispatched his servants to summon the invited guests to the feast, but they refused to come. 4 A second time he sent other servants, saying, ‘Tell those invited: “Behold, I have prepared my banquet, my calves and fattened cattle are killed, and everything is ready; come to the feast.”’ 5 Some ignored the invitation and went away, one to his farm, another to his business. 6 The rest laid hold of his servants, mistreated them, and killed them. 7 The king was enraged and sent his troops, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city. 8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The feast is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy to come. 9 Go out, therefore, into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.’ 10 The servants went out into the streets and gathered all they found, bad and good alike, and the hall was filled with guests. 11 But when the king came in to meet the guests he saw a man there not dressed in a wedding garment. 12 He said to him, ‘My friend, how is it that you came in here without a wedding garment?’ But he was reduced to silence. 13 Then the king said to his attendants, ‘Bind his hands and feet, and cast him into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ 14 Many are invited, but few are chosen.”

Matthew 22:1-14 presents the Parable of the Wedding Feast, where Jesus illustrates the Kingdom of Heaven through a story about a king who prepares a wedding banquet for his son. Despite his efforts to invite guests, many decline the invitation, offering various excuses. In response, the king sends out his servants to invite anyone they can find, filling the banquet hall with guests, both good and bad. However, he discovers a man without wedding garments, whom he then casts out, leading to Jesus's statement that “many are invited, but few are chosen.”

In this parable, the invitation to the feast symbolizes God's call to all humanity to enter into a relationship with Him through Christ. The initial invitees represent the religious leaders (the Jews) who were presented with God's message but rejected it. Their refusal signifies a heart closed to God’s grace. The subsequent invitation to the marginalized illustrates God's expansive love and desire for all to partake in His Kingdom, underscoring that everyone, regardless of status or past, is offered salvation.

When Jesus says, "many are invited, but few are chosen," He highlights that while God's grace is universally available, not everyone will respond positively to the invitation. The “chosen” represents those who accept the invitation not merely in words but also through genuine repentance and transformation. The man without wedding garments signifies those who may attend superficially but lack the necessary attributes of commitment and loyalty to God.

Ultimately, this parable challenges individuals to reflect on their response to God's call. It emphasizes that entrance into the Kingdom requires more than mere acknowledgment; it calls for a true transformation and readiness to participate in God’s plan. Thus, while many may hear the invitation, the act of truly accepting it and living accordingly is what determines being “chosen.” Amen.

Join me as we pray our daily prayer of forgiveness. The Lord’s Prayer.

At the Savior's command and formed by divine teaching, we dare to pray:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil, graciously grant peace in our days, that, by the help of your mercy, we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ. For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours now and forever.

I am sorry Lord. I believe You died and rose for me. Please forgive me as I forgive others. I share You as my Lord and Savior seeking to live your Will in all things. Prayers for wife Toni and my mother Betty pray for our children especially our two oldest Alexandra & Allen Son in Law Mark Stern; Julian, Gabriel and Jeffrey and our grandchildren Oliver, Julian and Elliott. We pray for those we’ve said we’d pray for and those who’ve asked us to pray for them. We pray for the dying as we do each day Lord give them peace in their last breath. Novena Day Three for James Spence. We pray for Holy Mother Church. Our prayers for our niece Brittany. In Jesus Precious Blood by His Name we pray. Amen.

I am a poet obedient to Christ,


Catholic Evangelist Thomas Cruz†Wiggins


†Spirit led God inspired Christ fed†®


Ephesians 6:17-20

08-20-2026 Matthew 22 v0114

Many Are Invited Few Are Chosen

In a vineyard lush, a tale unfolds, 

A king who calls, his invitation bold. 

To the wedding feast, he bids the guest, 

But many declined, rejecting his fest. 

“Come, my friends,” he sends out the word, 

“Everything ready, my joy will be stirred.” 

But some turn away, to fields and to trade, 

While others, in malice, the messengers laid. 

Yet still he insists, his love will not wane, 

To the highways and byways, he sends out his train. 

The poor and the humble, the lost and forlorn, 

Gathered together, they come without scorn. 

The banquet is filled, a beautiful sight, 

With laughter and joy, hearts glowing bright. 

But one stood apart, with garments unfit, 

The king noticed him, with a heart that won’t quit. 

“How came you in here, without wedding attire?” 

The man stammered silence, the truth caught in fire. 

With a wave of the hand, the king made it clear, 

“Bind him and cast him, for he did not adhere.” 

For many are called, but few choose the way, 

To honor the call, to enter His call each day. 

In this tale we find both mercy and strife, 

A lesson of grace, and the fullness of life. 

So heed the invitation, let hearts be made anew, 

Embrace the attire of love, and be eternally true. 

For the banquet awaits, where all are esteemed, 

In the kingdom of heaven, where hope is redeemed. Amen.

© Thomas Joe Cruz†Wiggins

August 20, 2026 @ 04:49 AM EST

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