I will show thee furthermore (for thy desire draweth more out of my heart than I thought to have said in the beginning) when the use of thy senses be deadly sin, and when venial. Thus, therefore, our Lord saith in the Gospel: A man made a great supper, and called many thereto, and sent his servant at supper-time, after them that were bidden. The first excused himself, and said on this wise, that he could not come, for he had bought a farm. The other also excused himself, that he could not come, for he had bought five yoke of oxen, and went to try them. The third, for that he had married a wife. I forbear to speak of the first and of the last, and will tell ye of the middlemost of them, that had bought the oxen, for he is to our purpose. Five yoke of oxen betoken the five senses, which are beastly as an ox. Now this man that was called to the supper was not rejected because he bought the oxen, but because he went to try them, and so he would not come. (John Climacus)

In each of the three cases the value of the invitation is not understood.

The farm, the spouse, and the yoke of oxen are all potential distractions, and in this instance they cause those invited to neglect an opportunity of much higher value.

I agree with Climacus that the case of the oxen demonstrates the most egregious dearth of perception and the analogy with the five senses is meaningful.

Jesus does not explain the prior relationship of any of those invited with the host. The implication is that whatever the prior relationship, what matters is our readiness to accept the invitation.

We have been invited - today - will we accept, or do we have other commitments that have claimed us?