Gratitude

The feast was prepared, the table was ready,

and the guests were bidden to come.

A servant was sent to bring forth the guests,

but their excuse was of consent one:

"I cannot come to the feast on this day,"

Said the first guest the servant had found.

"I have worked all the year, have struggled and fought,

And have now purchased some ground.

"I will build it, till it, and plant in a field

so we may have food enough to eat.

I wish I could come, but I will stay and prepare

so I may bring gift to the next year's feast."

The servant was sad, and, upon hearing this news,

left the first guest to his ground.

He walked and he searched and he traveled next

to the man who had been bidden from town.

"I hope I can come to the feast on this day,"

Said the second, when bidden to go.

"I must go to prove my yoke of strong oxen,

and then to the feast I will show.

"But tell your master I am excited to come,

That I am thankful to be given a place.

From my ten oxen strong I will give him a gift,

but now I must work in hast."

The third guest likewise had an excuse of his own,

the servant soon came to know.

"I have of myself just married a wife,

and to see her I now must go.

"But hold us a place at the table tonight,

we will be there as soon as we can.

I will see her, then we will try and both come

and a gift we can bring," said the man.

"But go to, tell your kind master,

all that I have told you to say,

Hold us a place, we will try with our best,

to be at the feast this evening to stay."

Without any luck, the servant returned

and told of the men bidden that day.

The master then bade his servant to go

and find others to feast with, and say:

"My master desires that you come in

and feast with him on this night.

The poor, the maimed, the halt, the blind,

to these it will be their right."

The new guests did enter, the festivities began!

All about the table was felt joy!

As the guests sat down to the table to feast,

the servant knew there could be more.

The master did call, and the servant was sent,

to find more to come to his feast.

From highways to hedges, all men were called,

the the home was filled with men who were least.

As the evening drew on, and the door was shut,

a couple came up to the door.

They were very late, they presented their gift,

but the master knew they could do more.

Behind the couple walked up another man,

and behind him two oxen followed.

The oxen presented as a gift from the guest,

but instead of joy, the master sorrowed.

"Why did you not come when you were called?

Why bring these gifts with delay?

For none who were bidden will partake of my feast,

but real intent of the heart will stay."

The couple then left, and the oxen and man

shortly followed, upset as can be.

When the servant had heard and seen all

he turned to his master, unable to see.

"Master, those who were bidden and came,

though late was the hour they showed,

they came bringing gifts to show how they felt

why then, were they turned back from your home?"

"My servant, you have served me well;

you have been as you were asked to be.

I will tell you why these were sent

and could not come feast with me.

"More important than how you act

is how you are in your heart.

Can a man being evil, give a good gift,

if inside he withholds his part?

"To come to the feast one must be ready

to give all that he has and is.

But if he gives without real intent,

righteousness is not counted as his.

"How then, my dear servant,

Could those bidden enter here?

For those who have come, the lame and the poor,

Possess gratitude, are humble, and sincere.

"A gift given, or thanks to be shared,

means nothing if not from inside.

those who have come to share in the feast,

gave from their soul, heart, and mind.

"I know this is hard for many to understand

but it is true, all and every part:

Gratitude is more than what we say or do,

but what we are in our heart."

This poem was inspired by two scriptural parables. (See Luke 14:16-24-Bible, Moroni 7:3-11- Book of Mormon)