Matthew 22:8 - "Then he said to his slaves, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those who were invited did not deserve to come.'"
This is the thing a lot of people, including me, miss about God. He doesn't stop inviting us. It's always an invitation rather than a command performance. We are always free to say no. We're not free, however, to injure, maim, or kill God's messengers without consequence. I'll be honest, I don't believe in an actual hell we go to after we die if we've been that bad. We are not perfect; none of us. If there is such a place we go after we die, most of us would end up there. To me, that is not the act of a loving God. God may have left those who murdered her slaves out of this wedding banquet, but rest assured, God will invite them again in the future. God keeps hoping our hearts will change. God has faith in us.
Then what is hell if not somewhere we go in the afterlife? Heaven and hell are here and now. We as individuals, communities, and nations can create hells for ourselves or others. We do it every time we hang on tight to our resentments and grievances. We do it when we create or believe lies about others not like us. We do it when we refuse to be generous or to think well of those less fortunate, and when we support policies that will do much more harm than they will do good. These things build up within us and become solidified. Our hearts become stone, keeping the rest of the world out.
Such attitudes are a sad waste of our lives. Jealousy, envy, covetousness, and greed all lead to this place if left unchecked. They lead to actions that can make the lives of those around us a living hell, too. Rarely do our actions affect no one else. The selfishness and the hatred of the kings' invited guests in this parable affected the king, they spoiled his banquet, snubbed him.
Yet, just as we have created this stone heart, we can soften it as well. It requires recognizing our own sinfulness, our own greed, our own pride. So few are willing to go on this path. Even the king in this parable does not go on this path.
Our question then is, how do we change? How do we let go of our resentments and grievances? How can we learn to see God and Jesus in the people around us, no matter their skin color or culture? How can we become curious about others around us who are different in some way? By asking God for a heart that sees her in everyone and everything. Be careful, though. God will give us many opportunities for practice when we pray such a prayer. It will be uncomfortable and maybe a little humbling. ... And it will be worth it, eventually. We'll find that all the energy we spent on being angry and nursing our grievances is now available for loving actions toward ourselves and others. God is inviting you on the "path with heart" as Carlos Santayana wrote. Let's walk it together.
Come to the table. All is ready.
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