Week 28. Week of the Holy Forefathers.
We heard the Gospel reading about how, “A certain man made a great supper,
and bade many (Luke 14, 16).” But when everything was ready, the
invited guests refused to attend, making personal excuses: one had acquired a
plot of land, another bought five oxen, a third had
married.
This parable expresses God's call and ends with the words:
many are called, but few are chosen.
Whom should we understand as called? The list would include
Enoch, Noah, Job the Long-suffering, Abraham, and other righteous ones and
prophets, for through them the Lord proclaimed his will.
These prophets and righteous ones are forefathers, whose
memory we celebrate today.
They all lived by faith and hope in the coming Messiah, that
they would enter His Kingdom.
By what signs can we identify the elect? Certainly,
through the preponderance of their faith and righteousness.
Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for
righteousness (Romans 4,3). He demonstrated particular
faith in his willingness to sacrifice his only son Isaac, but was restrained by
an angel. This episode in the life of Abraham prophetically prefigured, “For
God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth
in him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3,16).”
Because of his righteousness, Abraham's descendants were
chosen by God for a special mission, but this special favor was not according
to the flesh and those chosen did pass the test. It is said of them that they
were distracted by the wiles of the world: one said that he had married a wife,
another said that he had bought five yoke of oxen, another, and when the
Messiah came, they did not recognize him.
Because the meaning of the parable is wider, then it
concerns us as well, that is, God's call goes out to us, too.
Those who answer are in the Church of the called. But it is
not enough merely to be called, one must also be chosen.
Who are these chosen? Perhaps it is the clergy, for bishops
are the successors of the Apostles. But the Apostles themselves were chose to
perform a great service, to preach salvation and their selection was from the
beginning, and then one fell away—Judas. The same goes for the clergy, they are
also chosen, but for the Highest service.
Being chosen only because of faith and piety can be said
only of the saints.
Selection is the same as entering the Kingdom of Heaven.
This is what we should strive towards, whither the Lord
calls us.
The Nativity of Christ will arrive soon. We need to prepare
for this holiday. This preparation is expressed through fasting, praying, going
to Church for confession and communion.
May the Lord help us, who came to earth for our salvation. Amen.