In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, one God, Amen.
We have in Scripture, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, the Kingdom of God likened to a banquet or feast (Luke 14:15–24; also Matthew 22:1–14). It is a celebration to which all are invited: “Go out quickly,” says the Lord to his servant, “into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind,” and, when there is still space at the feast, “Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.” (vv. 21, 23) Since God “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth,” (1 Timothy 2:4) and even that the wicked should turn and live: the Lord is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (Second Peter 3:9; see also Isaiah 55:7, Ezekiel 18:23, 33:11)
We have heard today of the Rich Man who possessed much—money and fine clothes—and who “feasted sumptuously every day;” but he ignored Lazarus at his gate. And despite all he possessed, his indifference to Lazarus denied him what would make him a person, it denied him a name. For when we ignore a person suffering, a person in need, we deny our own personhood, our own being, we determine for ourselves that we will not live after the likeness of God (Genesis 1:26): we are sub-human.
And I, having been clothed in Christ through my baptism (Galatians 3:27), and feasting sumptuously not on food which will leave me with hunger in a short while, but on the Bread which has come down from Heaven, the Bread of Life (see John 6:32f, 35, 48ff), even now awaiting the Marriage Feast of the Kingdom of God I remain indifferent to the poor man at my door. Yes, indeed, “I have seen the True Light, I have received the Heavenly Spirit, I have found the True Faith,” but what good has it done me? I remain unchanged and bring condemnation on myself. And, lacking a wedding garment, lacking personhood, being content to live a sub-human life, on the Last Day the Judge will say to his servants, “Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 22:13)
And so, I must change, I must repent. I must not only rejoice that I have found the Kingdom of God, the Marriage Feast of the Bridegroom and his Church, I must bring with me all who desire to feed on the Word of God, who see in this world an existence which cannot be redeemed except by the power of its Creator. And this bloodless Sacrifice, this Liturgy, which is offered “on behalf of all and for all,” becomes for me not primarily the way in which I receive Life but my commissioning to bring to Life as many as would believe in his Name that they may become children of God, “born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:13)
My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we have beheld the glory of Christ, “the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth,” (John 1:14) and we are called to bring this glory into the world, to continue the proclamation of the Gospel that Christ has defeated his enemies, even Death itself, and brings Life into our world. Let us not be as the rich man but share this feast openly and willingly, going out into our world and bringing in the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind—those who have not heard the Gospel of the Kingdom, who are spiritually broken and need restoration, who have been prevented from seeing the Truth, from seeing Christ. Let us open the doors of the Marriage Feast and bring in all who would come that the House of the Father may be filled.
To our crucified and risen Saviour Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom of the Church, be all glory, honour and might, together with his unoriginate Father and the All-holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit. Amen.
Brethren, see with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh that would compel you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. For even those who receive circumcision do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may glory in your flesh. But far be it from me to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. Peace and mercy be upon all who walk by this rule, upon the Israel of God. Henceforth let no man trouble me; for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brethren. Amen.
— Galatians 6:11–18
The Lord said, “There was a rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus, full of sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man’s table; moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried; and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes, and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus in his bosom. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy upon me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father’s house, for I have five brothers, so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses, and the prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham; but if some one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to them, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be convinced if some one should rise from the dead.’
— Luke 16:19–31