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11th December 17, 2006
The Lord's Parables are vivid portrayals of society, regardless in what era. In
today's Gospel, the Lord wishing to state that He came unto His own, and His own
received Him naught, went even further, to speak of the religious indifference
of God's chosen people, that is, the Hebrews of Biblical times.
He related the following Parable. "A certain man prepared a great supper, and
invited many; when the supper was ready, he sent his servants to announce to the
invited guests, that everything was ready, and for them to come forth and
partake. "
However, the guests chose to excuse themselves for various reasons. One said, "I
cannot come, because I have bought a tract of land, and I must go out to make an
inspection." Another invited guest said: "I will not attend, because I have just
bought five yoke of oxen, and I must go out to prove them." A third invited
guest said: "Please excuse me, for I have just married, and will not be able to
attend."
This invitation in the Parable, is nothing less than God's invitation to all of
us, for our personal salvation. God has prepared the richly laden banquet of
Holy Communion for all of us, which does have the regenerative power to fulfill
the needs of our soul, providing, that we adequately adorn and prepare our soul,
to worthily partake of the soul saving Mystery of the Holy Eucharist.
Unfortunately for so many, the fact is, that they turn a deaf ear, and choose to
make all types of personal excuses for abstaining.
The Holy Fathers of our Church, who prepared the sequence of Gospel Lessons we
hear throughout the ecclesiastical year, made a wise choice to place today's
Gospel Lesson of the Great Banquet, two Sundays before Christmas, so as to be
read in all the Orthodox Churches, in the hope, that people would submit
themselves to a spiritual revival. This is the hope of the Church.
But, it is so unfortunate, that many baptized Christians consistently show their
indifference to the Lord's invitation. And this, because they are thoroughly
absorbed in the things of this life, without much, if any, thought for the
nourishment of their spiritual counterpart, their immortal soul. No time is
taken for meditation, so as to taste of that, which is wholesome, pure,
uplifting, and most importantly Eternal.
In the history of mankind, there has never been a people, or a race, which did
not believe in some superior power, regardless in what form it was expressed,
or, with what name it was labeled. The need for worshiping some higher power, is
innate in every individual, implanted in the souls of all humans by God, and
which we recognize as conscience.
More than once I have been asked the question: "We say that outside the Church
there is no salvation. What about those, who have never been exposed to
Christianity?" Well, as with all things, the answer is in the Bible.
In St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans, Chapter 2, verses 14-15, we read: "When the
Gentiles, who have not the Law, do by nature the things contained in the Law,
these having not the Law, are a Law unto themselves, which show the work of the
Law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness. So, the
answer for those, who have never heard of Christianity, they will be judged in
the last judgment according to the natural Law, which is their conscience.
In modern times, we have the self proclaimed atheists, who always constitute an
enigma. We simply classify them as nonbelievers. But, between the believers and
the non-believers, there is a massive group of people, who would consider it the
greatest of insults, to be called atheists; however, on the other hand, their
life is such, that we can readily conclude, that religion is the last on their
list of priorities.
These people are the religiously indifferent, the in-between; the neither here,
nor there; and it seems, that the only time that they can be awakened from their
lethargic indifference is, when they would perhaps suffer some great
catastrophe, or, when they feel that they should pray to God for some special
need!
Our Lord though stated it very plainly: "He, or she, who is not with Me, is
against Me! (Matthew 12:30). He did not provide for an in between condition.
He specifically commanded, that "the one who would follow after Him, should
firstly deny self, and then take up his or her cross and follow after Him!"
(Matthew 16:24)
But, living in today's modern and rapidly moving world, it seems that people
just don't take the time to stop for a moment and give the Lord's invitation any
thought. We are just too busy for religion, and as a consequence, we pay heavily
for this indifference, with our personal and family problems, as well as with
our social frustrations, simply because we do not live a life of unshakable
religious conviction.
For instance, the invitation of the Church to attend the Religious Banquet of
the Divine Liturgy is constantly extended, but like the land owner of today's
Gospel Lesson we hear many merchants exclaim: "How can I find time for religion?
I am so busy with my affairs, --closing deals, and expanding my interests, that
I simply have no time. Too many things depend upon me. Perhaps when I retire,
I'll have more time to devote myself to my religious obligations."
"Count me out," says the property-owner; "I have no time for religion, because I
rarely have time to make my rounds to my properties! "I cannot come" says the
working man. "In my free time
I find so many other things to do." "Don't count on me," says the intellectual
or the scientist. "I am so engrossed in my studies and experiments, so far above
the average human level, that I find no time for religious experiences; religion
cannot satisfy my needs!"
These people forget what St. Paul said: "That the most simple of God, is wiser
than all the human wisdom." (1Cor. 1:25) and "God selected the uneducated, to
shame the wise of the world. "
So it is, that the list of people and their excuses continues on and on. But the
fact remains, that of all the things in this world, we truly have need of one,
--- a true and fruitful belief in God.
The people we mentioned, who are lukewarm or religiously indifferent, would most
certainly be happier people, and truly fulfilled in this life, and ultimately
secure for themselves a place in Heaven, --as citizens of God's glorious and
Eternal Kingdom. That is, if people would come to firmly believe, that all
things are given as a trust, and that we all are stewards of God.
If people would pause for a minute to understand, that all their belongings, ---
their wealth and possessions, in actuality do not belong to them, simply
because, none of these accompany them into the eternal world, they would surely
seek to make an adjustment.
The working people may never become wealthy, but they have equal opportunity
with all, to become top-grade Christians, which will grant them the wealth of
the true values, that their heart desires.
The intellectual or scientist, would be so much wiser, to realize that all gifts
and "all good grants come from Above, from the Father of Lights," as St. James
states in his Epistle. (James 1:17) One's gift of intellect and power is a gift,
-- a talent from Above, and for which one day, God will ask for an accounting.
We surely would be living in a different world, if the intellectuals truly
believed, that God is the Source of their wisdom, and therefore they should
channel this wisdom for the benefit of humankind, and for God's Glory.
Here then, at the threshold of Christmas, the Lord's invitation goes out much
louder and stronger to all of us, to attend the Great Supper. To adequately
prepare ourselves spi4tually to partake of the "Supper" of Holy Communion, to be
gifted with renewed spiritual strength, to face the hard realities of this life.
The Lord instituted the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist so as to always be close
to Him and to be with Him at all times.
All Christians, we should always be on guard, so as to never run the risk of
being classified as religiously indifferent. True religious faith, cannot ever
be a take it or leave it situation, as it appears in so many Christian lives. I
repeat that, which the Lord said: "The one who is not with me, is against me."
The Lord wants us to be His, and to follow His Commandments for a life of
fulfillment, and a guaranteed place with Him in Eternity. Of course, the choice
will always be ours. Amen.
+ Fr. George Papadeas
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