The Way of the World

 There has never been a time when the world and its ways have not been at odds with the ways of the Lord, the ways of His Church, and the ways that move us toward salvation.

In today’s Gospel (Luke 14:16-24) our Lord relates this fact to us, yet again via parable.

The parable does not seem at first blush to point to the Lord’s Incarnation, but let’s together push into it just a bit more deeply.

Verses 16 and 17.  “A certain Man gave a great supper and invited many, and sent His servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’”

The “certain Man” is the Father.  He has, through the grace of the Holy Spirit and the sending of His Son into the world, come to the point of being ready to offer this “great supper”.  What is the supper?  It is our salvation in our born, crucified, and Risen Lord.  It is the Lord’s Supper, the offering of His very Body and Blood so that we, His servants, may eat and drink of it, and through doing so we may literally take God within us, we may be enlivened in both our physical and spiritual lives by His eternal Life, transmitted to us by His physical nature, which Jesus spoke of saying, “For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.” (John 6:55)

There is no ‘supper’ without the ‘meat’.  That’s the definition of “incarnation”!  God coming into the world and putting on our flesh, so that He by His good will towards us and His limitless love for us might work for us salvation, the ability to follow His instructions and find our way to eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven, where He is and ever shall be.

We could say that the world cares little about this great supper.  But the fact is that for most of the world, there is no care at all.  It is the reason again for our Lord’s saying, “Many are called, but few are chosen.” (Mat 22:14)  It takes something ‘special’, not-worldly to hear the call and to answer the call.

St. Theophan says this.

All Christians are called: chosen are those Christians who believe and live in a Christian manner.  In the first Christian times, preaching called people to faith.  Now we are called by our birth from Christians and our upbringing among Christians.  And glory be to God!  We travel down half the road—that is, entrance into Christianity and the taking root of its principles in our heart—from our very childhood, without any labor.  It would seem that our faith should be all the stronger, and our life all the more correct throughout all the time that follows.  It used to be that way; but at a certain point in time it started to be different with us.  Unchristian principles, which ruin young people, are permitted in our schools, and unchristian customs, which corrupt them after they leave school, have entered into society.  If, in accordance with the word of God, there have always been only a few chosen, it is no surprise that in our time there are even fewer of them; such is the spirit of the age—antichristian!  What will be next?  If our manner of education and social customs are not changed, true Christianity will weaken more and more, and at last will entirely come to an end.  Only the name “Christian” will remain, but the spirit of Christianity will not be there.  The spirit of the world will fill everyone.  What is one to do?  Pray!”

Eleven years ago now we began to publish a blog titled, Will He Find Faith On Earth?, which are prophetic words spoken by our Lord in Luke 18:8.  They refer to His coming again, and the falling away referred to by St. Theophan.

Let us strive to be ones in whom such real faith can be found, and in whom today’s “certain Man” will find hearts yearning to attend His great supper!  And let us together witness His putting on our flesh!