SUNDAY MESSAGE (audio message)
BY HIS EMINENCE THE METROPOLITAN
KYTHIRA & ANTIKYTHIRA SERAPHIM
SACRAMENT OF THE FIRST OF LUKA (OF THE HOLY FOREFATHERS)
(17-12-2023)
VIRGINIA J. LUKA (17-12-2023)
WRITTEN TH. KIRYGMA
My dear brothers,
In today's Gospel passage our Lord likens the call to the Kingdom of Heaven to a banquet, to which the host, God, called many, especially the Jews. During the Supper he sent his servants, that is, God's messengers in every age, and in particular the Holy Prophets, St. John the Baptist, and even his own Son Jesus Christ, who became a servant through the incarnation, to tell the guests, "Come, do not delay, all things are ready.
And then the invited Jews began to find excuses not to come to the great Supper. Then the host after the excuses felt divine anger and said to one of his servants, «Go out, go quickly to the squares and the outskirts of the city and bring here the crippled, the blind.» All these were the despised, they were nothing in the eyes of the Lawgivers and Pharisees.
Then he told the servant to go and bring others who were on the estates outside the city to fill the table. These were the Gentiles. Then the host warned that anyone who did not agree to go to the banquet would not sit down, nor would he taste it.
That is, whoever has not accepted the preaching of the Messiah will not enter the Kingdom of God.
It is precisely here, my brothers, that the question arises. To which category do we belong? Those who are full of love for Christ or those who have a sinful
attitude and disregard the call of salvation?;
All the Saints, who through their struggle were admitted to the Kingdom of Heaven, give the answer. Let us also be like our Saints, be humble and willing and
then we shall taste the Great Supper of the Kingdom of God.Amen.-
Archbishop Dionysios Mallios
