Homily by Fr. Taras Gorpynyak on the Thirtieth Sunday after Pentecost

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

During His mission on earth, our Saviour Jesus Christ often used parables (simple stories) to explain certain things. In today’s parable, the man who prepared the dinner and invited the guests is the Lord God, the dinner is the Divine Liturgy, and the guests are people living on earth.

The Divine Saviour Jesus Christ left us this priceless gift of the Divine Liturgy, instituted during the Last Supper, where He changed the bread into His Body and the wine into His Blood (the Holy Eucharist). When Jesus Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist, He wanted to remain with us “all the days of our lives” and therefore He gave the apostles and their successors the commission: “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). Since then, this Bloodless Sacrifice of the Divine Liturgy has been offered wherever there is a priest and the people of God.

The Divine Liturgy is the most important event in the life of every Christian. The Lord in today’s parable invites us to participate in the Divine Liturgy. But some people refuse: “The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it; I pray you, have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them; I pray you, have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ (Luke 14:18–20). Unfortunately, today there are many Christians who do not accept this invitation and do not come to church for the Divine Liturgy.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, let us try to accept this invitation from our Saviour as best we can, take an active part in the Divine Liturgy, and receive Him in Holy Communion for the salvation of our immortal souls. Amen!

See also

November 17 “The prayer of the poor rises up to God” September 29 “Who can help us the most, if not the Most Holy Theotokos?” Bishop Mykola in Wayville September 14 Homily by Fr. Taras Gorpynyak on the Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost