His Eminence Metropolitan Iosif of Western and Southern Europe spoke to the youth of Nepsis UK about God’s invitation in the Parable of the Great Banquet. “The Church is our response to God’s call,” His Eminence emphasized.
The Divine Liturgy celebrated on Sunday at “Saint George” Parish in London-Holborn concluded the Nepsis UK Youth Congress, held from December 14 to 15.
The event’s special guest was Professor Adrian Papahagi, who delivered a lecture titled “The Christian’s Discernment in Today’s World” and engaged in dialogue with the youth.
A Place to Meet God
In his sermon during the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan Iosif stressed the importance of responding affirmatively to God’s call through participation in the Church’s life.
“When we go to Church, we attend a meeting corresponding to a call. First and foremost, God calls us. In this sense, the Church is the place to meet God, our response to His invitation, or the Great Banquet He prepares for us every Sunday.”
“In the parable we heard, God the Father, the one preparing the meal, brings us the fattened calf—His Son—not something external, but His very Son.”
“The Heavenly Father invites His people to dinner. What is this? According to the Holy Fathers who explained the Gospel text, the dinner is the end of the world, the end of our lives. At some point, we are invited to this Lord’s dinner at the end of our lives, which also signifies judgment.”
His Eminence highlighted that daily worries often lead people to refuse God’s invitation.
“We might not come before Him because we are so burdened with our worries that we don’t even hear His call to Heaven.”
The Call Is Continuous
The Metropolitan of Western and Southern Europe concluded that people are continually called to the Lord’s Supper.
“God’s Word prepares us for mercy, for giving. He not only teaches with words, but He also gives Himself. How does He do that? We are here because He gives Himself every Sunday in what we call the Supper.”
“He invites us, calls us to give absolute and eternal meaning to our lives through the invitation to the Supper. We must respond: Here I am, Lord, as I am! Because we must recognize who we are and what we are.”
“The Supper to which Christ calls us today is a continuous invitation. It is our ongoing state, a perpetual tension that continues into eternity,” His Eminence concluded.
Photo: Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Italy
