Today, now just two Sundays before the Nativity of Christ, the Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of the forefathers; all of those men and women who spent their lives in anticipation of the coming of the Messiah. They were the ones chosen by God to prepare the earth for His coming, and to invite the world to participate!
In the Gospel lesson today, we hear of a grand banquet that has been prepared. The Host, Christ our God, sends mankind an invitation. He tells us that it is not necessary to live in an empty world without God…without hope…without life. The time has now come to enter into the feast; into this grand banquet that is prepared for us!
So God sent the forefathers: Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, the Prophets, and as we hear in the Vespers service for last night, “all of the rest”. He sent these men and women to the Jewish Nation who were the chosen people. They were to be the first to be invited to the feast! But what was the response? Coming up with reasons why they were too busy to come into the presence of the King!
“I just bought some land, I have to go check it out….”
“I just purchased 5 yoke of oxen and need to go test them…”
“It’s my wife’s fault!“
So God sent out a second group of messengers, the apostles and Fathers of the Church: St. Paul, St. Luke, St. John, even St. Nicholas who was here just one week ago. He sent this second group to give the invitation to all those in the streets, to all those on the highways and byways, “Tell them” He says, ”implore them that the banquet is ready and the feast is prepared!” This is where the Gospel leaves us…with a cliffhanger ending that depends on each and every one of us here today. We have been handed an invite into life, hope, and joy. What do we do with this invitation?
With all of the societal pressures that are placed on us during this time of year…all of the responsibilities that are laid out at our feet day after day….all extra work at our jobs that needs to be wrapped up before the new year…numerous social obligations…family get togethers…cooking…cleaning…Some days it feels like we wake up, go non-stop for 18 hours, shut our eyes, and then begin he cycle all over again! I heard a priest say once that it during this time of year that not only are we too busy to die, we are too busy to live!
At the Nativity of our Lord, even on the very day that God came into the World, after all of the invitations were sent out by the forefathers throughout the centuries (and yes, the Jews had CENTURIES to plan for this), they were too busy for God. There was no room at the inn. We hear in the Gospel of John: “Christ came unto His own…and His own people where not there to receive Him.”
Centuries later, in our little Church in the woods, the banquet once again lies before us! We have an invite to the Kingdom today! It is not some superficial place that we will get to eventually after we pass away…it is here….it is now. The Gospel today says: “Come NOW, for all things are ready.”
So as we go into these next 10 days towards the Incarnation of Christ, remember this gospel lesson. Read it over and over again. Study the invite that has been given to you by the Holy Forefathers, Apostles, Saints, and Fathers of the Church. Slow down this week, and take the time to pray, fast, and prepare for the Feast which will begin Tuesday Christmas Eve, at 7:00 PM. Affirm your RSVP to the banquet which you are called to partake in. As you take a step forward to receive the Eucharist today…say to yourself: “I come, dear Lord, Humbly and gratefully. Who am I that you should invite me to such a banquet? Allow me to spend eternity in your loving presence…Amen!