Matthew 20:16: "So the last shall be first, and the first last; for many be called, but few chosen." (Jesus speaking)...(This is pretty much the same idea as Vesuvius' passage, but I think it is the one quoted.)

I think that human beings are wired to worship a higher power. Human beings have been worshiping gods for a long, long time. Why would they do that if 1.) there was no God and 2.) they didn't feel better doing it?

But there are people who are very spiritual and those who are not. Why? I do not know. I can only tell you about myself, and how it works for me.

I went to a parochial kindergarten, and "fell in love" with Jesus and Mary and all the stories I was told about these people. When I fell into a bit of trouble years later, I felt God. I wanted to feel that feeling I had when I was five and had completely trusted God. I feel that I was called to Him. I also feel I was given a choice: live as I had been, and die; or, be reborn, change, and live in God. I chose God. Since then, I have never turned back. I have back-slid, I have gone down into valleys and up into the sky, but I did not give up.

I have had a profound spiritual experience which has changed me completely and healed my soul. Again, I feel I have been called by God. It is like a constant whisper in your soul. I have never been able to ignore it. The poem, "The Hound of Heaven" by Francis Thompson says it all.

There are people who never hear this whisper. There are also people who hear it, and run-fast-in the other direction! I have no regrets. I love God, and Jesus, and Mary and...You get my drift.

Blessings, Jai

The bible passage comes from Matthew 22:14. From the NIV:

Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: "The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

Then he sent some more servants and said, 'Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.'

But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

Then he said to his servants, 'The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. 9Go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.' 10So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, both good and bad, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. 'Friend,' he asked, 'how did you get in here without wedding clothes?' The man was speechless.

Then the king told the attendants, 'Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

For many are invited, but few are chosen.

The guests do not enter the wedding hall immediately. Those gathered from the highways would be inappropriately clothed, so time is given them to clothe themselves in proper attire provided by the king (Isaiah 64:6; Zechariah 3:3-4). The parable suggests that, not only did the man not have on a wedding garment, but he did so intentionally. He decides against clothing himself properly, even though the appropriate clothing is available. His presence at the wedding is a sign of his rebellion against the king's authority and majesty, symbolized by the feast. When the man realizes his sin against the king's order, he is speechless as his judgment is pronounced.

The wedding garment, conspicuous and distinctive, represents a person's righteousness. It symbolizes the habit of sincerity, repentance, humility, and obedience. It replaces the street clothes that stand for the habits of pride, rebellion, and sinfulness. Biblically, beautiful clothing indicates spiritual character developed by submission to God (Revelation 3:4-5; 19:7-9). Paul exhorts Christians to "put on the Lord Jesus Christ" like a garment (Romans 13:14). Clothing, then, represents a Christ-covered life, and as a result, character consistent with God's way of life.

http://bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Bible.show/sVerseID/23887/eVerseID/23887

As to it choosing you, maybe that is a function of your spiritual growth up to this lifetime. Personally, I have always been drawn to spiritual books and concepts, even though I am strongly analytical in nature. I was agnostic until I realized the songs that I composed were not really coming from me.

The 'wedding garment' is the white seamless gown that is spoken of in sacred literature.. and is a reference to our purest most subtle body. One 'grows into' this body by one's own expansion of awareness in thought, word and deed.

We all have this 'gown' but few there are that 'wear' it.

I think from memory it is referred to as the Augeoides. This might explain "the Light at the end of the Tunnel" as we pass through the valley of the shadow of death.

http://www.kheper.net/topics/subtlebody/ketherictemplate.html