that they should come; but they tarry, they are not ready, they begin to
make excuses and wish to be held excused. Some are entangled in perishable
riches and cannot leave their possessions; others are preoccupied with
worldly affairs and must not neglect their business; still others are
pursuing the pleasures of earth, and have no time for the things of
Heaven. But the feast is not for these, after all. The Master invites
them, He calls them, He sends His ministers in search of them, He reproves
and chides them, He thunders against them to make them hear and obey; but
they will not come, they shall never taste of His banquet. He has not
spread a table for the proud, the haughty, the arrogant; He cannot meet in
loving communion the worldly, the sensuous, the lovers of ease and hurtful
pleasures. Such as these are not prepared to meet Him; they would be out
of place and ill at ease in His company, they do not like His society.(60)

To be able to come to the Master and to sit at His feast there is need of
preparation. The garments of the world must be changed for the garments of
Heaven, the ways of men must be made to yield to the ways of God. For what
is wisdom with men is foolishness with God,(61) the weak things of earth
are the strong things of Heaven, the outcast of the world are the chosen
of the Father Almighty. And hence our Saviour under the figure of the
master in the parable who prepared a great supper, says of all those who
will not hear Him, who neglect His divine inspirations and despise the
call of His ministers, that they shall never taste of His feast. But who,
then, shall sit down at His table? for whom has He prepared the banquet?
He tells us Himself, that those who shall partake of His supper are the
lowly, the humble, the poor, the lame, and the blind; the despised of men
and the outcast of the people; those who have known sorrow and suffering
and penance, who have found the way of the cross and embraced it; who, for
the kingdom of Heaven and the love of Christ crucified, have given up
father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren and sisters; yea,
and their own life also, that they might inherit everlasting crowns that
fade not away.(62)

St. Paul was one of these masterful spirits, who surrendered all that he
had, all that he prized most dearly for love of Christ and His service.
"The things that were gain to me," he says, "the same have I counted loss
for Christ. Furthermore, I count all