Омилия XLI 202 .

For the 14th Sunday of the Gospel readings according to Matthew: on the parable of the calling of a son for marriage; in it - and regarding those who say: why did God also call those who would refuse or would not actually respond to the invitation, and why did He create those who would be given over to torment? First, I will pronounce to your love the final words of the parable read today in the Gospel of the Lord: “Many are the callings, but few are the chosen”; for the Lord carries this thought throughout the entire parable so that we strive to be not only called, but also chosen; because the one who is only called, but not the chosen one, is not only deprived of the non-evening (unset) light, but is also driven out into utter darkness, and is bound hand and foot: foot - because they did not run to God; on their hands - because they did not do godly deeds; and indulges in weeping and gnashing of teeth. It is possible that someone will immediately ask: why did the Lord say that “many” are called, and did not say that “all” people are called; because in this case, if not everyone is called, then it would not be fair for those who were not even called to be deprived of the promised benefits and subjected to the torments that He threatened; because perhaps they would listen and answer the call if they were called. It is true that it would not be fair to exclude them for unfitness, if they were not even invited; but the fact is that this is not true, that not everyone was invited. Because the Lord, ascending to heaven after the Resurrection from the dead, said to His Disciples: “Going into the whole world, preach the Gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15); and: “Teach all tongues, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to keep all the commandments given to you” (Matthew 28:19-20). And the fact that the Disciples fulfilled this command in practice is rightly represented by Paul: “They did not hear,” he says, “but more than that, their message went out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world” (Rom. 10:18), i.e. - Apostles. So, all people were called, and, therefore, those who did not come to faith are rightly subject to punishment. So, why did the Lord not say “all”, but “many are called”? – Because in this case He is talking about believers; why and then, after this parable, He said these words; because if the called one responds to the call and, having been baptized, is called by Christ, but does not walk worthy of this calling, and if, while living in Christ 203, does not fulfill the obligations that he gave at baptism, then such a person, although he is “called,” is not “chosen.” But even this question is raised by some, or better yet, the existing earth and dust are blamed on the Superheavenly, yesterday’s on the Eternal: “Why did God call,” they say, “God called those whom He knew would either refuse or would not actually respond? And why, in general, having foreshadowed this, did He create those who would be given over to torment? – But without taking into account that “As the heavens are separated from the earth, so are My thoughts separated from your thoughts,” says the Lord” (Is. 55:9), they call for an account and, one might say, become familiar (Λογοπραγοῦσι) with the One who is above all thought. How do we humans differ from ants? Isn’t our composition, I mean our body, made from the same natural elements? Are we not nourished by the same elements? Aren't we living where they are? Are they not gifted with almost the same basic abilities as them? But don’t they have some abilities that make them superior to us? - Thus, they are more careful about their benefits and know their benefits from afar, and are more diligent in collecting supplies for the year. But we surpass them in the intelligence of our souls. But what is our superiority in comparison with the superiority that God has in comparison with us! And if even all the ants living in the world, gathered together, would never be able to understand even the slightest of our deeds or plans, although we do not even surpass them in everything, 204 then, while God is infinitely and infinitely superior to us, how could we penetrate into His deeds and mind, and without the presence of faith, perfectly know the consequences of events? For just as this great luminary in the sky could not produce day if the light of its rays did not exceed the organ of our vision, so neither the creator of our nature, God, would be the Creator of salvation for us, if he were comprehensible to us and did not possess wisdom and goodness that exceed our understanding. However, how can those who blame God for calling those who in fact did not respond to His call think that if He had not called them, they would thereby attribute to Him the blame for their destruction? And so that no one could say that He was the culprit of their death, He therefore called them. Why did He even create such people who would be given over to torment? – He did not create people for torment, but to save; which is clear from the fact that He called them; because if He wanted to punish someone, He would not call everyone to salvation. If, by His goodness, He led and called me to salvation, but I myself would have shown myself to be ineligible, then would my sin, then, when it had not yet been committed in fact, should have already defeated and bound His eternal goodness, so that He would not have already called me to salvation in advance?! Would that be fair?! – But the one who puts the question differently, but blames the Creator, essentially declares that God should not have created a rational being; because what would reason be if there were no free will to make a choice? But how could anyone have free will if he could not, even if he wanted, be bad? If, without the presence of free will, one cannot be bad, then, of course, without this one cannot be good (both are associated with free will and choice). Consequently, the one who says that God should not have created those who are about to suffer punishment is saying that it is not necessary for those who are being saved to be created, nor in general a rational being with free will; if everything else was created for the sake of this rational being, then God should not have been the Creator, as if he were saying this. See how absurd it is! But since the human race was created by God as rational and gifted with free will, and using this gift in various ways, some had to become bad, and others - good, would it really answer the good God, for the reason that there will be bad ones, not to bring into being the good? Could anyone come up with anything more unfair? Because even if one single person in the world were good, then it would not be worthy not to create creation: because it is better to have one doing the will of the Lord than tens of thousands of lawless people. Are we really going to tell those who choose gold from gold-bearing sand that they should not first bring useless soil for the sake of grains of gold? But let us listen when election would be impossible: there would be no chosen ones if there were no called ones, but how would there be those called if they were not brought into being? But let us take our speech even closer and ask them, who blame Him who wants everyone to be saved; Let us ask them about those people who (consciously) do not desire their salvation. We mortals need food. So, since our body selects food for its existence, and part of it absorbs into itself, and throws out the obscene part through the organs of excretion, then because of this part of the food that has become unusable, have you completely abandoned food, or for the sake of that part of the food that our body selects for the sake of its existence and through digestion assimilates and turns into its substance, do you accept all the food? – There is no need to talk about this: for in fact we respond to this by eating daily and absorbing elements of food that our body either accepts or does not accept. Why are we doing this? – Because of our innate love of life. So, behold, God, because of His inherent goodness and mercy, not for the sake of those who had to become bad of their own free will, allowed the good to come into being, but for the sake of the good He created those who have to become bad. Don't you see that even doctors do not allow those patients to fast who, due to relaxation of the stomach, are unable to hold food, but throw it back? Why do they force them to eat? – So that the body absorbs at least something from food, even if most of the food remains unused; Therefore, the art of medicine is rightly called philanthropic. So the goodness and mercy of God is even more revealed by the fact that, despite the fact that, in comparison with the multitude of those who are not saved, there are few who strive for their salvation, He created the entire human race; and despite the fact that there were few to be chosen, He, out of the abundance of His love for mankind, called everyone. “Be like the kingdom of heaven,” he says, “to the man king, who made marriages for his son: and he sent his servants to call those who were called to the marriages, and did not want to come.” Here He calls “marriage” the union of the Son of God with human nature, and through it with our nature. Because Paul, too, saying that the mystery of marriage is great, added: “I speak into Christ and into the Church” (Eph. 5:32). And in another place he tells us this: “I have betrothed you to one husband, to present a pure virgin to Christ” (2 Cor. 11:2). Why is it not said “marriage”, but why did the Heavenly King, the Highest Father, create “marriages” for His Son? – Because the Bridegroom of pure souls, Christ, mysteriously uniting with each such soul, gives the Father the “wedding” joy of this; for He Himself says: “There is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:7). Because, again, this joy, as the Apostle says, is the fruit of the Holy Spirit, who, through conversion, unites and combines with Christ the souls of those living in repentance, what joy embraces those who live in God, whether in heaven or on earth; Therefore there is joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. So, for the sake of this ineffable, already accomplished, union of human nature with the Son of God, who granted us repentance, and for the sake of this mysteriously triumphant joy in heaven by God and the Father, servants were sent: John the Baptist of the Lord, Zechariah, whom the Jews killed between the church and the altar, Simeon the God-Receiver, and in general all those who before the saving Passion and Resurrection announced the already completed coming of the Lord in the flesh to earth. So they were sent to invite those who were invited, i.e. - The Jews, because they were called, just as they had been called earlier through the Prophets, but they did not want to come, i.e. - to believe and become participants in ineffable communication and grace, although they were often called upon earlier and now. Then again, He says, oh, ineffable generosity! - The king sent other slaves, saying: “Behold, my dinner has been prepared, my young men, and the fat one has been eaten, and everything is ready: come to the weddings.” Having heard it, they alone, neglecting it, went to (their fields) and trade. - How much different from them are those who, using the harvest or vineyards or troubles in business as an excuse, abandon sacred meetings and do not want to listen to sacred psalmody and teaching? “Others,” says Christ, “seized the slaves, insulted and killed (them). – Not very far from these are those who even now do not submit to the Primates of the Church, and if something is not according to them, they revile them in a hostile manner; but we, based on the parable, will bring saving sweetness to such people as a gift. “Behold,” he says, “I have prepared My best 205, My calves and what is fattened, slaughtered, and everything is ready.” Truly, by the Incarnation of the Lord God accomplished the best of His works; because everything that God had previously done economically for us was beautiful and good and related to this goal; but the best of all His works, or better to say - both exceptional and incomparably best, is the Incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, and especially its goal (ταύτης μάλιστα τό τελος) - the saving Passion and Resurrection; for it is clearly revealed that this title (for the marriages of the Son) came after the Resurrection of the Lord from the dead 206; for then everything became prepared for our salvation: the perfect dispensation in the flesh of the Son of God, the divine teaching then taught to people, the acts of theanthropic action (energy), making people partakers of the theanthropic Body, the great and divine and saving Sacrifice, the three-day Resurrection from the dead, the firstfruits of eternal life and the divine joy that accompanies it. “My bulls,” he says, “and whatever is fattened is slain”: because the Old Testament was then united with the New Testament; and this (i.e., the New Testament) is presented through the sacrifice of fattened (animals) 207; for now bread is what is sacrificed for us in the Church; and that (i.e., the Old Testament) is presented in the image of sacrificing calves, which, thanks to the New Sacrifice, was transferred to a sacrifice more worthy of God (τό θειότερον). So, other servants, the Apostles of the Lord, were sent to preach this to the Jews, because the Master still had mercy on them, but when they heard, some disdained, being completely nailed to the fields and trade, land and earthly things, while others, even seizing the preachers, insulted some, stoned others, and insulted and killed everyone, as far as it was in their power. Therefore, “the King became angry,” says (Christ in the parable), “having sent, destroy the murderers, and set their city on fire.” Because despite the suffering suffered at their hands, and still having mercy on them, He sent to them those calling them to repentance, promising forgiveness and preaching the bestowal of great blessings, giving pledges and deposits and faithful guarantees, but they not only did not repent and did not pay attention, but repaid for this with insults and put the evangelists to death; therefore the King rightly then sent soldiers who destroyed them and burned their city. Who doesn’t know that all this clearly came true over Jerusalem, which He deservedly called here “the city of murderers”? Since they were repeatedly called earlier and now, they not only showed themselves unworthy of the invitation, but also worthy of the wrath of God and destruction, then by command of the King, the same slaves, i.e. The Lord's Apostles, going out onto the roads, gathered everyone, says (the Savior in continuation of the parable), whoever they found, both bad and good, and the house was filled with reclining people; these are those called from among the Gentiles; because Jerusalem at that time was the only “City of God” and His only “house” was Israel; those who were outside it, and such were the pagans at that time, seemed to wander on the roads, and then - many and different, because such were their worldviews. He says that on the roads the bad and the good were found and gathered, speaking so in accordance with the difference in the internal state of their souls and wills, due to which some actually became chosen, having discovered a disposition and way of life consonant with faith; others were excluded from the number of those gathered, having lived a shameful and bad life and not in tune with faith; Christ shows this in the further presentation of the parable. For, “the King came in,” he says, “to see those reclining,” i.e. those who came from among those invited. His coming in order to see and judge those reclining is a proclamation of the judgment that is to take place in due time. So, “the King came in,” they say, “seeing that man not clothed in a wedding robe.” – The robe of spiritual marriage is a virtue, in which if someone does not put on here, in this life, he will not only be found unworthy of this bridal chamber, but will also be subjected to bonds and unspeakable torments. If the garment of every soul is the body combined with it, then he who does not preserve it, or does not purify it here (in this life) with abstinence and chastity and chastity, will then find it indecent and unworthy of this incorruptible bridal chamber, and will deservedly be cast out from there. Because the King, having denounced, it is said, and shamed this man, who was not dressed in clothes worthy of the title, said to the servants: “Take him, having bound his hand and nose,” i.e. having subjected him to inevitable torment, separate him from his habitation and fellowship with those who rejoice. - “And you will be thrown into pitch darkness: there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Because they rightly bind the one who is already in this life bound by the shackles of his sins, hand and foot, and having become far from God, he is thrown into outer darkness, as if he had not done bright deeds in his life. And there, they say, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth: for that darkness is not only darkness, but also an unquenchable fire, moreover, filled with never-ending worms. So, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth because of the fighting unbearable suffering that engulfs the soul and body, and endless screams because of the endless and useless repentance there. And having announced this, Christ added: “For many are the ranks, but few are the chosen,” showing by this that not only one (that person) is subject to these horrors, but in general everyone who carries within himself a similar, based on his deeds, worthlessness; because in the example of this one person the Lord presented what those bad people are like, who are among those who are called and come and are baptized and, however, have not changed their lives for the better and have not, through repentance, removed from themselves the filth that appeared on the basis of evil pleasures and passions. But we, brethren, will take off our tunic, which is torn due to drunkenness and a full stomach, and soiled due to the flesh and its excesses, and, through abstinence and chastity, we will put on, as Isaiah says, “the robe of salvation and the robe of joy” (Is. 61:10); let us put off the old man, which is corrupted through the deceitful lusts, and put on the new man, created according to God in holiness and righteousness (Eph. 4:22, 24); Let us take off all the clothing of a lifestyle built on predation and covetousness, as clothing that is shameful in the eyes of God and condemned. Let us, as the elect of God, clothe ourselves with mercy, humility, chastity, meekness, and strive in everything, according to the Apostolic exhortation (2 Pet. 1:10), to make our calling and election firm; because by doing this, we will not lose the promise of future benefits, and fellowship with those who eternally rejoice, that may we all receive by the grace and love of mankind the eternal and heavenly Bridegroom of our souls, Christ, to whom, together with the Father, be due glory with the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen. PG.151:513–525. Homilia XLI. In Evangelium secundum Matthaeum quartae decimae Dominicae; in parabolam invitem ad nuptias filii; in qua etjam arguuntur quj djcunt: Quare vocavit Deus eos qui nullo modo, vel saltem non operibus sunt obedituri? et quare fecit eos qui suppliciis sunt tradendi? Those. being a Christian. The text says in the absolute genitive: “when we surpass them in everything,” but it seems that this is a copyist’s mistake, because it does not agree with either the previous or subsequent text. Greek the text in the Gospel here reads: “τό αριστον μου ήτοίμασται”, which is usually translated as: “I have prepared My dinner”, because the word “τό αριστον” means “dinner” or “breakfast”; but this same word is literally the superlative degree of the word “άγαθός” - good. In this second sense, St. Gregory Palamas understands the Gospel text, which we reflected in our translation of the Gospel quote. This phrase is not in the Latin translation. St. Gregory Palamas connects the concept of “fattened” (τά σιτιστά) with the word “τό σιτιόν” - “live”, “bread”. You might be interested in: