Sunday of the Forefathers

Byzantine Homilies • Sermon • Submitted 2 years ago

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Jesus talks about being ready for a banquet versus being distracted by the affairs of life. Paul tells us how to get ready, by taking off vices and putting on the "new man" Jesus. The issue for us is whether we are doing what it takes to get ready or not?

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Our Lady of Guadalupe; Our Venerable Father Spiridon, the Wonderworker, Bishop of Tremyfia

Title

Come, All is Ready

Outline

I plan to be ready for a Advent dinner with Bishop Vasquez

The invitations are out and have been responded to - all priests in the diocese are invited

I have it on my calendar, and barring any emergency, I plan on arriving early

I will, of course, dress appropriately, honoring the nature of the invitation

But what Bishop Vasquez would want most is that he hears that I am faithful to my calling as a priest in this diocese

Luke talks about a great banquet

A man, in the parable Jesus, has sent out the invitations

The people have formally RSVP’d, but when the message comes that all is ready, those called - presumably those inside Israel or, in later interpretation, inside the Church - politely say they have more important things to do. All are avoidable if the invitation had been kept in mind; all are this-worldly, temporal rather than ultimate

So “outsiders” are called, in Luke first those outsiders who are within the community, the scum of the Jewish community, and then those outside the community, the despised Gentiles.

Nothing is reserved for those initially invited

Paul tells us how to get ready

The point is that only “the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his creator.” will be let in - only those “in Christ” are ready.

But to reveal that image we first must get rid of the clearly evil “stuff” in us: “immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” But then there are, so to speak, the inner clothes that we tend to pass over, “anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his practices” - we need to get rid of those too.

Then we can “put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his creator” - or rather the Spirit dresses us. And because we are all to look like Jesus, to be divinized, our racial, sexual, and social backgrounds make no difference. It is all about being joined to Jesus, being in Jesus, being divinized. Nothing else matters.

So are we ready?

We have all RSVP’d or else we would not be here

But we also do not know when the call will come telling us that all is ready - come now

Oh, yes, we know that we need to get rid of the grosser, muddier garments - if we recognize them as such - but it is so easy to hang onto the inner garments, not thinking that they are that important. Being in and with Jesus is not that central for us yet. Besides, those things may not be good, but they are not that bad.

Perhaps, then, since we have not prioritized being close to Jesus, divinization, we will not recognize that final call when it comes.

I was at a personal development seminar a long time ago, which said, “Be prepared to do what it takes to get what you want.” Maybe Paul would say, “Be prepared to do what it takes to get who you want” - get unity with Jesus. After all, in the end he is the only thing that matters.

Readings

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 12-16-2029: Sunday of the Forefathers or Twenty-Eight Sunday after Pentecost

EPISTLE

Colossians 3:4–11

4 When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you once walked, when you lived in them. 8 But now put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old man with his practices 10 and have put on the new man, who is being renewed in knowledge after the image of his creator. 11 Here there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free man, but Christ is all, and in all.

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) 12-16-2029: Sunday of the Forefathers or Twenty-Eight Sunday after Pentecost

GOSPEL

Luke 14:16–24

16 But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet, and invited many; 17 and at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come; for all is now ready.’ 18 But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it; please, have me excused.’ 19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them; please, have me excused.’ 20 And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ 21 So the servant came and reported this to his master. Then the householder in anger said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and maimed and blind and lame.’ 22 And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ 23 And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges, and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. 24 For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’ ”

Notes

Byzantine Lectionary (Revised Julian) (12-16-2029: Sunday of the Forefathers or Twenty-Eight Sunday after Pentecost)

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2021 | NATIVITY OF OUR LORD

SUNDAY OF THE FOREFATHERS OR TWENTY-EIGHT SUNDAY AFTER PENTECOST

Matins Gospel John 20:1–10 (29th Sunday)

Epistle Colossians 3:4–11

Gospel Luke 14:16–24

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