Simple Invitations

 In today’s Gospel reading (John 1:43-51), we learn a lot about how our Lord “grew” His Church, via the calling of the Apostles.

We as Orthodox Christians speak often about how it is that we might share this faith with others.  Some speak of plans to go outside the building with outreach programs.  Some speak about garnering attention via news articles or advertisements.  Some propose “door-to-door” evangelism.

While there’s nothing wrong with any plan to engage others in our faith, it’s most often the personal testimony of one of us whose faith has changed our life that speaks to someone who is seeking a change in their life.

In the verses preceding today’s Gospel, we find Jesus receiving baptism from St. John, who testifies, “This is the Son of God.”  From this, the Forerunner speaks with his disciples (these were John and Andrew) and says to them, Behold the Lamb of God.  St. John records this:  They heard him (St. John) speak, and they followed Jesus.  Our Lord confronts the two, asking What do you seek?  They don’t answer the question directly, but ask only, Rabbi, where are You staying?  And the first invitation from our Lord is given—Come and see.

As a result of this encounter with the Lord, Andrew goes to his brother Peter and testifies, We have found the Messiah!  John records that Andrew brought Peter to Jesus, who calls him by name and then gives him the new name, Cephas, or “a rock.”

On the following day Jesus goes to Galilee and finds Philip, to whom He issues a second invitation, Follow Me.  Philip then goes and finds Nathaniel, giving him essentially the same message that Andrew gave to Peter.  We know Nathaniel’s famous saying, Can anything good come out of Nazareth?  Now, it is Philip who issues the invitation, Come and see.

In a few brief and simple encounters, we find Peter, John, Andrew, and Nathaniel gathered into the fold of the ranks of the Apostles, all by two or three word invitations!  They come not by command, but voluntarily.  They come not coerced by things of the world, but by heartfelt longing for God to fulfill His promise to His people, a longing founded in their own pursuit of understanding Holy Scripture.

Note that these first five Apostles become bonded to our Lord not by door-to-door efforts, nor by advertising, nor by things worldly.  They come by personal testimony—first of the Forerunner, then of those sent by him, a founding that is confirmed by our Lord’s two invitation phrases: Follow Me and Come and see.

As we encounter people who need to find our Lord in their lives, what better pattern to adopt that that which is shown us by our Lord and His closest Apostles?

Jesus seals the attachment of Nathaniel when, brought by Philip to see the Lord, He says to Nathaniel, Behold, and Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit.  Nathaniel is confused about how Jesus knows him, to which the Lord replies, Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.  Nathaniel knowing where he was and how impossible it is that Jesus should know this confesses, Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!  It is a confession of faith not yet firmly rooted, which teaches us that in coming to the faith, there is no “instant formula” for accepting Holy Orthodoxy.  It takes Peter three more years with the Lord to confess, You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God, a confession similar to Nathaniel’s, but at that time one more firmly rooted in a faith that has been established on the rock of what has been witnessed about truly Who Jesus is.

Let us be inviting to all who seek to find their path to salvation in Holy Orthodoxy.  And let us offer to them the same heartfelt invitations.  Follow Him as we attempt to do.  And, with us, Come and see.

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Remembering His Holiness Patriarch Neofit

 After a long illness, His Holiness Patriarch Neofit fell asleep in the Lord this past Wednesday, 13Mar24.  May his memory be eternal!  Bog da Prosti!

The Holy Synod published the following statement:  “We call on all Orthodox Christians to address their sincere prayer together with the holy Orthodox Church to the all-merciful God to put to rest the soul of our dear Patriarch in the kingdom of God—in the celestial spheres of the righteous and place him among the chosen ones on the right, where with the heavenly hosts he will praise God in eternity with a pleasant voice.”

His Holiness’ health worsened late last year and he remained under medical care at the Military Medical Academy.  All who were familiar with his condition continued to pray for his health until this news shook us all.

Born Simeon Nikolov in Sofia on 15Oct45, His Holiness graduated from the Theological Seminary in Sofia.  His theological specialty (church singing) developed at the Moscow Theological Academy, from which he returned in 1973 when he taught and became conductor of the student choir at the Academy.

He was tonsured a monk in 1975 and given the name Neophyte by His Holiness Patriarch Maxim (of blessed memory) at the Troyan Monastery.

In 1989 he became rector of the Theological Academy, and two years later he became the first dean of the restored Theological Faculty at Sofia University, St. Kliment Ohridski.  Later he became the chief secretary of the Holy Synod and chairman of the board of trustees of the St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.

In 1994 he was canonically confirmed as Metropolitan of the Dorostol-Cherven Diocese.  When the diocese was divided in half, he headed the Ruse Diocese.

In 2008 he was bestowed the title “doctor honoris causa” of the Sofia University for overall contribution to the development of spirituality at Sofia University and for his active participation in the restoration of the Faculty of Theology.  Two years later he was awarded by the President of Bulgaria the “Order of St. Cyril and Methodius”, the award stating that is was given “for his particularly significant merits for the development of the Theological Academy “St. Kliment Ohridski”, for his contribution to the development of scientific and educational ties and relationships between Eastern and Western Christians and on the occasion of his 65th birthday.”

On 24Feb13, Neophyte was elected Patriarch of Bulgaria and Metropolitan of Sofia, and was enthroned on that same day in St. Alexander Nevsky Cathedral.

During his lifetime, His Holiness was known for being a tolerant and calm leader, and a zealous defender of Christian values, as well as for being an advocate for the introduction of “religion” in Bulgarian schools.

May His Holiness’ memory be eternal!  Bog da Prosti!

 

 

I Tremble at the Fearful Day of Judgment

Today’s Gospel (Mat 25:31-46) presents us with what our Lord gifts to us as prophecy related to His return, His ‘Second Coming.’

His words are clear.  There can be no misinterpretation. 

When the Son of Man comes in His glory…  Not “if”, but when.  Not this time in humility, but in His glory.  With all power.  With all authority.

And all the holy angels with Him… Jesus has been very careful to explain to His Apostles (and thru them to us) that His return will not be something that can be overlooked, misconstrued, or misrepresented.  During the week of the Publican and Pharisee in the Gospel readings from Mark Chapter 13 Jesus says to them if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or, ‘Look, He is there!’ do not believe it.  If each of us has a guardian angel, and the total population of the earth since creation is estimated to be over 100 billion, and there are additional other myriads of angels whom God has created for other purposes, then when Jesus returns with ALL the angels, it will indeed be something not to be misconstrued!

All the nations will be gathered before Him… Not some, all.  Not from today, but from all time.  All will stand for judgment.

He will separate them one from another… He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left… Sheep are docile animals, willing to follow their Shepherd unconditionally.  Goats are stubborn, independent, and not easily or willingly led.  It prompts the question to myself, “What can I do to change myself from being a goat to becoming a sheep?”

Then the King will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you blessed of My  Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world… This is the first mention of “King” - but it shows Jesus for Who He is, and it shows His ‘status’ at His return!  The description gives no relative size of the gatherings of sheep and goats.  Based on our Lord’s sayings (For many are called, but few are chosen…) we can imagine that there are far more goats than sheep!  To those whom the Lord calls the blessed of My Father, He speaks to the fact that the heavenly realms were created for this day, and have been in the ready from the foundation of the world, or more precisely, from the time of creation.

Counter to this blessing given to the sheep, the Lord says Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels… This ‘depart’ is different from others in scripture.  St. Simeon’s prayer uses the English word ‘depart’, but St. Simeon's 'depart' is different from the 'depart' in the Greek from Matthew 25.  St. Simeon's depart means ‘dismiss’.  In today's Gospel, with this depart there’s a finality with the word, which translates to ‘travel’ or ‘remove’.  In short, it carries the meaning of “Leave forever!”

 These will go away into everlasting punishment…  Here’s the proof of this absolute removal.  Like a figurative goat, these have been stubborn, refusing to be led by a loving Master, and in fact rejecting Him at every turn.  Removal from His eternal presence is the sentence for this cursed state.

But the righteous (will be received) into eternal life… Like the figurative sheep, these have always followed the Lord’s voice, and in showing their heartfelt desire to live accordingly, this is the blessing bestowed upon them.

Lord, as we together traverse the days of the Great Fast, let us seek to change our hearts to conform to Your Holy Will.  The Aposticha for this day says it all:  O Good Shepherd, deprive me not of a place at Your right hand in Your great mercy.

May this Great Fast lead us all ever toward the Kingdom, and placement at His right hand! 

Coming Home

 Today’s Gospel (Luke 15:11-32) is a gift from our Lord that paints a picture, an “icon”, of how much the Father truly loves us.

Stop for a moment and think of that love shown for you from your parents.  Some of us still live within that love.  Some of us had that love from one or the other parent for far too short a time.  Some of us have lived to ripe old ages and can now experience that love only in memories.

I fall into this later category.  The memories of packing up the old station wagon with five kids for a four hour trip, pretty much every second week remain with us.  That task might seem daunting, but there was never any reservation about making that trip leaving Friday night and returning after Church on Sunday.  It was always worth it to feel the warmth of the embraces when we arrived, the love in the conversation while we were there.  And it was well worth the education—mom and dad never stopped being teachers to us.

As we read today’s parable of the Prodigal, we can imagine in his mind the thoughts present as he left the Father.  “I’m going to go out and conquer the world!”, only to have this untamed bravado quickly quashed by the real world. 

It was not just that he didn’t prosper, the Prodigal allowed the temptations of the world to lay hold of him, to entice him into great sin, to sap all the positives taught to him by his Father and cause him to wallow in the mud with common swine, to literally come to a point of starvation as he fed animals that the Jews saw as unclean.

It was this complete collapse of the world around him that brought the Prodigal to that place where he finally could find true repentance.  And so he commits to “going home” - not to a Father any longer, for he sees himself as totally unworthy to be called by that title after how he has chosen to live away from that love.  He now looks to his Father as an employer—one who won’t have him feeding pigs, but who in return will treat him with some level of dignity.  He asks to be a servant of one whom he knows has respect even for those  who are His servants!

But the Father has other plans!  The Father is not caught off guard by the Prodigal’s return.  He is watching, waiting for him to come home.  And when His son does return, He allows him only enough time to offer his message of repentance, but the Father stops the son’s discourse short, not allowing him to ask to become a servant.  What do we find in the Father’s demeanor? 

First:  He’s My son!  Second:  I love him unconditionally.  Third: I prove that love with my running to meet him.  Fourth: I prove that love by embracing him.  Fifth:  I prove that love by kissing him.

When I go back to those long four hour drives, I’m reminded of the warmth of each and every arrival.  Both father and mother came out to meet us.  There were hugs exchanged between two parents and all seven of us exiting the car.  And it all ended with kisses all around before entering the house to celebrate.  There was no fatted calf, but there was feasting and much joy.

Today’s Parable is our Lord’s way of showing us truly how much the Father loves us.  In this world, a parent’s love is perhaps as close we can get to that of our heavenly Father.  And if we still (years later) can feel that parental love, the hugs, the kisses, and if all those memories are as vivid as they are, memories gifted by imperfect human love, how much more intense, more glorious, more wonderful is the love that our Lord shows us to be the definition of who the Father really is?

Let us all begin to prepare our repentant message to Him.  Lord knows we’re all on the path to meet Him soon.  All of us are on our way home.  And He, with all love, is waiting.

Publican and Pharisee

 Today’s Gospel (Luke 18:10-14) has our Lord directing our thoughts (and prayers) with another parable.

In all such instances, we should accept our Lord’s words as being indicative of real-life events, even when they are delivered as parables.  Why?  Because Christ’s teaching is not about nebulous events or people.  He crafts His words to change our hearts from being stony and cold to the place where we can find them molding to His will, and being warm to accepting Him into them.

Today’s parable, like most others, places two people into positions of being at odds with one another.  The Publican is a man hated by the average person on the street because he works for the government, those who are oppressors, occupiers of Israel.  The average Jew wants nothing more than to be freed from the clutches of the Roman Empire.  And the Publican is the Empire’s tie between their treasury and those who are subdued as subjects.

This is in part that which crafts the heart of the Publican towards his state of repentance.  He hates himself for what he is, which for all practical purposes is a traitor to his own people.  And so the Lord describes finding him in the Temple beating his breast in repentance, asking God for forgiveness.  For how many other sins we do not know—perhaps many (like me).  He is filled with such self-judgmentalism that Jesus says that he would not even lift his eyes to heaven.

The Pharisee, on the other hand, judged not himself, but rather the Publican.  Thank You for not making me like THAT man…

Jesus told us, Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

The Publican has heard this message and has taken it to heart.  He has found that place where he understands that his life is a disappointment to his Father, and he wants nothing more than to become a restored son.

The Pharisee doesn’t need a Father.  He is self-sufficient.  “I’m good!  There’s nothing wrong with me.”  And in these attitudes, Jesus proclaims that the Publican went away justified, while the Pharisee was not.

Saint Basil teaches that there are three states through which we can be pleasing to God.  In the first, we fear His punishment, making us acceptable in the state of slaves.  In the second, we are in the state of servants, working for wages, fulfilling orders for our own advantage and in so doing earning our wages.  The third state is that of children, and here we strive for the highest good.  A child—a mature child—does the will of the Father not for fear of being beaten, nor even to receive a reward from Him, but rather because the child knows that he is loved.  And in return, the child loves and honors the Father, convinced that all that is the Father’s is also his as well.

As we are led by the Church to enter this Great Fast, let us take to heart the messages of these Preparatory Sundays, using them to begin to conform ourselves to where the Lord calls us even before the Fast takes its own loving hold of us—for our own good!

 

What Exactly Did the Lord Receive?

 Today’s Gospel (Luke 19:1-10) is a kind of “unofficial” beginning to the Lenten Season.  It’s not a “Sunday After Pentecost.”  It’s not a “Sunday of the Triodion.”  So what IS it, exactly.

Think of it this way.  When you go to dine at a nice restaurant, you’re often asked if you’d like to order “an appetizer.”  The thought is that there is a kind of “small portion food” that will enhance your ability to eat more.

Zacchaeus Sunday is the “appetizer” for the Preparatory Sundays before the Great Fast.

What does it offer to make us hungry for more?

The short answer is DESIRE!

This is where we find Zacchaeus.  It’s obvious that he has heard about Jesus.  He has developed a curiosity about Him.  The curiosity appetizer has evolved into a hunger to be able just to SEE who this Man is.

But God, in His wisdom, made him too small to allow him to easily achieve his goal.  Worse, his position as a tax collector (and a chief of them at that) causes the people also crowding the streets to push poor Zacchaeus away.  Call it retribution for his holding authority over them with their taxes.

So Zacchaeus must exert himself.  It’s not a premeditated plan.  Jesus is coming.  If I don’t act now, I won’t see Him.  I’ll climb the tree and at least get a glimpse of who this Man is.

This is a more sincere display of desire for Christ than the Lord’s own people have shown throughout His ministry.  Knowing all things, including the content of Zacchaeus’ heart, the Lord calls to him.  Come down!  I need to stay with you this day.

Zacchaeus is overjoyed!  He simply wanted to see Jesus.  Now, the Lord has not only spoken with him, He will do so yet again within his house.  Jesus will meet his family.  He’ll be able to converse with the Lord.  What will he say?  How will this all come to a conclusion?

People in the crowd are appalled.  He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.  It is to this sentiment that this article’s title is dedicated.

When one might be accused of visiting with someone who is held in contempt by the crowds, there is an automatic expectation that the one being visited is “paying off” the one visiting.  “Come into my home, and I will give you something of great value.”  The crowd expects Zacchaeus to be somehow giving to the Lord—they expect some kind of corrupt motives to be at play.

And so the question:  In any encounter with the Lord, throughout all of Scripture, when is there a confrontation, Christ with another person, where Jesus leaves having “received” something?  When does the Lord go away with more than He had upon arrival?  What’s that?  Never, you say?

Let us suggest that in fact Jesus leaves today’s encounter with Zacchaeus with something that He did not arrive with—Zacchaeus’ repentant heart!  What value is there is this?  None, to any of the people in the crowd who decried the Lord’s visit.  For Jesus, He left knowing that there was rejoicing amongst the angels of God over this one sinner who repented.

Lord, visit me, as You did Zacchaeus, and give me his repentant heart.

Never Give Up!

[For Sunday, 11Feb2024]

Today’s Gospel reading (Mat 15:21-28) teaches us the importance of persistence. 

The woman who approaches our Lord today has no ‘pedigree’ to fall back on with Jesus.  He comes as the King of Israel.  She comes as a woman from Canaan.  Canaan is after all the land that God promised to give to Abraham in return for his faithfully departing his home in Haran to follow where God would lead him.  So the Jews were conquerors of the land of Canaan, and therefore there was enmity between them.

The Lord goes out of His way to come to this place, the region of Tyre and Sidon, specifically to meet this woman. 

Therefore, when she comes, why does Jesus rebuff her?  And why does He do so in such a seemingly uncaring manner?  His rejection to her plea for help is not made once, not even twice.  Jesus refuses to help her after three successive pleas. 

Her first plea is significant.  Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David!  These words once again echo the Jesus Prayer, beginning with seeking His mercy, and ending with a concrete recognition of His divinity as the Son of David, therefore at least partial recognition of the Lord’s claim to being the Messiah.

But her initial words go on.  My daughter is severely demon possessed.

Rebuff #1:  He answered her not a word. 

She makes such a heartfelt plea showing herself to be a loving mother, not asking for something for herself, but pleading the case for her possessed daughter, and the plea seemingly falls on deaf ears (although we know God hears EVERY prayer!). 

The Lord’s disciples know this woman’s status.  She is not a Jew and therefore she is amongst those whom the Lord has told them they should not minister to such people.  And so they speak to the Lord, asking Him to command her to be sent away. 

St. Matthew records (by noting the rejection of the Apostles) that the woman continued in her plea, for he tells us that the Apostles complaint to Jesus is she cries after us, and so her pleas haven’t ended with just the words St. Matthew has revealed to us.

Rebuff #2: I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

Well, at least this time the rejection is made addressing the woman. 

We can begin to sense the desperation in her being.  She has to this time poured out her heart.  She shows the faith that recognizes that she KNOWS that Jesus can help her.  But she hasn’t penetrated to the place yet where He chooses to be that help to her.

He’s waiting for something.  And so she cries a heart-wrenching plea, Lord, help me!

Rebuff #3:  It is not good to take the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs.

At this, the woman shows her humility.  It doesn’t matter what she’s subjected to in rejection.  She demonstrates this humility with her next words: Yes, Lord, yet even the little dogs eat the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.

I’m willing to be called a dog.  I define as a ‘crumb’ that which I know to be impossible for men, which is why I come to YOU, Lord, for I know what is impossible to men is simple for You— to You, Lord, this is a “crumb”!

Her humility now opens the door. 

Woman, great is your faith!  Let it be done to you as you desire.

Jesus doesn’t mention the daughter.  He doesn’t have to.  The mother has shown that she has no concern for herself.  She only wishes to see the mercy for which she has effectively pleaded be granted to her afflicted daughter.

If we feel as if our prayer has gone unanswered, if we are in anguish over that for which we think we have prayed fervently, don’t stop praying.  But don’t ‘judge’ God for not answering.

Perhaps He is waiting for us, as well, to show humility.  In doing so, perhaps we as well  will be blessed to hear Him say, great is your faith!

The Presentation of our Lord

As we’ve discussed so many times in the past, our Lord Himself obeys the commandments that He, as God, gave to His chosen people, the Jews.  We watched in wonder as He came to the Temple to be named and circumcised.  This week we stand again in wonder as He comes to the Temple to be offered.  Offered?  On the 40th day after birth it was custom in Judaism for the first-born to be dedicated to God.  And in our wonder, here we find God dedicating Himself!

In this process, those bringing a child, if they were wealthy, offered a lamb and a pigeon as a sacrifice.  Mary and Joseph were not wealthy.  They are shown in our Iconography as bringing the alternate offering, two turtledoves.

Again, if we look at our icons, we see them arriving at the Temple.  There they are met by an old man who reaches out to receive the Christ child.  In humility, his hands are typically covered by his garment.  This man is St. Simeon.  Tradition holds that Simeon was one of the seventy scholars who were selected to translate Hebrew scripture into Greek (the Septuagint).  This effort of translation produced what is used to this day in the Orthodox Church as Old Testament Scripture.  Within the tradition, it fell to Simeon to translate the Book of Isaiah.  As he translated Isaiah 7:14 (Behold, a virgin shall conceive in the womb, and shall bring forth a Son…) his intellect spoke to him saying that the word ‘virgin’ could not be accurate in this context, and he wanted to change the text to read ‘young woman.’  At that moment, an angel appeared to him holding back his hand and saying, You will see these words fulfilled.  You shall not die until you behold Christ the Lord born of a pure and spotless Virgin.  From the time of this encounter with the angel, Simeon studied the Prophets, learning ever more of the coming Messiah.  The Gospel of St. Luke says of him, the Holy Spirit  was upon him. From this he spent his years praying for the Messiah’s arrival.  One day as he prayed, St. Luke records he came by the Spirit into the Temple, where he encountered his Lord and Creator, as we see depicted in the icons.  Again, St. Luke says he took Him up in his arms and blessed God saying...

With the greatest joy, St. Simeon spontaneously uttered the prayer by which we remember him most, the prayer which is sung at every Vespers service.

Lord, now let Your servant depart in peace, according to Your word.  For my eyes have seen Your salvation, which You have prepared before the face of all people.  A Light to enlighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel!

The translation of the Septuagint happened long before the Lord’s Nativity.  Tradition holds that St. Simeon died at the age of 360 years!

Also shown in the iconography is an old woman.  This is the prophetess Anna.  St. Luke records her to have been eighty-four years old, and she did not leave the Temple, but served God, fasting and praying day and night.  Upon seeing the Lord, she began to preach to all present that this was the One Who came into the world to redeem God’s creation!

It’s a glorious Feast!

33rd Sunday After Pentecost - The Wedding Feast

Sermon
Sunday, 21Jan2024
33^rd Sunday After Pentecost
Col 1:12-18/Mat 22:1-14

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Glory to Jesus Christ!

My brothers and sisters in Christ:

Today’s parable of the Wedding Feast from the 22^nd Chapter of the Gospel of St. Matthew is in many ways similar to the parable of the Vineyard from Chapter 12 in the Gospel of St. Mark.  There (in Ch 12) the chief character is the “Man” Who planted a vineyard, giving it everything necessary to bear much fruit.  And when the season for harvest came, this same “Man” sent servants to collect His portion of the bounty from the vineyard.  In today’s Gospel we have no “Man,” but rather a “King”.  We have no vineyard, but rather a wedding feast.  We have no servants sent to collect what is due to the “Man,” but rather servants sent to call the many who had been invited to the wedding feast to come and attend – all is now ready.

Beyond those differences, there are many similarities, most specifically the savagery of those who tended the vineyard in one case, and those invited to the wedding in the other.  They disobey the promise in each case.  They beat, stone, and kill the servants sent to them by the Master.

Blessed Theophylact teaches that the Parable of the Vineyard points to the death of Christ, while today’s parable is related to “the nuptial joy”, pointing to the Resurrection of Christ.  He (Blessed Theophylact) goes on to teach that today’s parable paints the transgressors as far worse than those from the earlier Vineyard parable.  He draws this conclusion based on the fact that those tending the vineyard slew servants who were demanding fruits from them.  But today's malefactors slew servants calling them to a feast.  In the first case, the malefactors had something required of THEM, in the later case they were receiving divine gifts.

Who are the people described?  Christ is the Bridegroom.  The bride is the Church.  Those servants sent first are Moses and those from that era of scripture.  The Jews did not obey these, but disobeyed God in the wilderness for 40 years.  After this, God sent other servants, the prophets.  The Jews killed Isaiah.  They threw Jeremiah into a pit of mire.  Those who excused themselves by saying they were going to tend their fields are those who preferred a life of pleasure and carnality, for this “field” is the body.  Those who excused themselves based on possessions are those captivated by things, merchandise, acquisition, profit.  And so Blessed Theophylact teaches that there are two (2) categories of excuse makers amongst the malefactors, those who are overcome with pleasures of the flesh, and those who are slaves to greed.

There’s another interesting set of words to be understood.  Very early in today’s reading St. Matthew records these words in the parable.  (The King) sent forth His servants to call them that were called to the wedding.  What did he say?  The servants were ordered to call those who had already been called.  What does this mean? 

Each of us by nature, by that which the Creator implanted within us, has been called towards the good.  We continue to be called by that Word He implanted within us.  St. Paul teaches (Rom 2:14-15) For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them.

This “internal law” which is in every human being is the first call, a call to seek the Source of truth and righteousness.

But God, in His mercy and love for us, sends us other ‘teachers’, to call us from without rather than within, synergizing certainly with that already within, but building off of it.

To the Jews, they rejected their inner law with Moses, and even rejected the call from without by him to them.

Those whom the King commands His servants to gather from the highways are then the Gentiles, those who had only that inner law as a foundation.  The new servants, the Apostles, begin to call these.  From the parable, the “highway” is the life and manner in which each of us lives.  These “servants” the parable says gather all whom they found, both bad and good. 

It's fascinating that the “servants” call both bad and good without discriminating.  There is no discrimination until the King encounters the man who has entered without a wedding garment!  It is the Master who is dividing sheep from goats, beginning here.  St. Augustine teaches that this “one man” in fact stands for many. 

It's also attention grabbing that the parable has the King addressing the man without the wedding garment as Friend.  It’s the same phrasing that the Lord uses when Judas comes with the guards to arrest the Lord in Gethsemane.  The King asks the man, How did you get in here without a wedding garment?  And St. Matthew records that the man was speechless, indicating that he knew of no way to lie to the Judge, the King.

Before we leave today’s parable, we should attempt to answer “What IS this wedding garment?”  What is the parable trying to explain to ME?

We’ve discussed the reality of this previously, but let’s repeat.  When a wedding feast was to be given (in those days), those who were invited were sent clothes to wear to the wedding – their wedding garments – which served as a kind of calling card to prove that one was in fact invited.  If you’re not wearing the clothes expected, you just don’t belong!

But for the purposes of this parable, the wedding garment identifies one as embracing fully the mission of our Lord.  It requires faith, yes, but it’s more than that!  It requires love – the love that our Lord showed to us, His creation.  We must “wear” that love, proving it in not only embracing the faith, but in caring for the “least of His brethren,” in loving those in need and showing that love in charity towards them, and in openly and freely giving love to even those who see themselves as our enemies.

At our baptisms, each of us sang the hymn, As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.  Alleluia!  If we have “put Him on,” and we have done so fully, embracing and fulfilling our charter to love and be charitable, then we wear that wedding garment!

St. Gregory the Great writes profoundly on those of us who stand offering homilies and words such as these to you, God’s faithful.  To all of us, you and me alike, who are struggling to find our path into the Kingdom of Heaven, symbolized this day by this Wedding Feast.  He wrote this:

Since God’s eternal banquet is our consummation, it is rightly compared to that final meal.  Furthermore, we must see that the servant sent with invitations by the Master of the household represents the preachers of the Church.  Being one of them, although unworthy and oppressed by the weight of my sins, nevertheless when I speak for your instruction, I also am a servant of the Master.  When I exhort you to despise this world, I come to invite you to God’s feast… Let no one despise me, then, for my personal defects: for although I am unworthy, the joys I promise are immense.  It often happens, brethren, that a powerful person has a contemptable servant, and when He sends a message by him to relations or to strangers… those who hear him do not think of the person who speaks, but only of the message he brings and the Person Whose message it is… and if perhaps you consider us preachers unworthy, nevertheless venerate God Who calls you through us.

Glory to Jesus Christ!