CAPG's Blog: THE CALLS OF GRACE

THE CALLS OF GRACE

by VP

Posted on Sunday September 29, 2024 at 01:00AM in Sermons

Parable of the Wedding Feast

They that were invited were not worthy."-Matt. xxii. 8.

1. Gospel reminds us of the many calls and invitations of grace.

2. Why God is so generous? Because He loves us.

3. How have we responded?

4. Resolve to treasure God's graces.

THIS Gospel reminds us of the manifold invitations, the countless calls of grace, wherewith we are favored by our loving Lord and Savior. Here in God's church we cannot help but remember them. How often has He spoken to us those words, “Come to Me, all you that labor and are burdened: and I will refresh you (Matt. xi. 28). At another time, when He has seen us wasting the short and precious hours of life, He has bidden us, "Go you also into My vineyard, and I will give you what shall be just " (Matt. xx. 4). And when our souls have yearned for Him, wishing to give themselves devoutly to Him, He has said, as He did to St. Andrew, "Come and see" (John i. 39), and we have known where to find His home here in the tabernacle where He is waiting, always ready, to welcome us and bid us stay with Him.

And why all these merciful invitations? He has no need of us. He is supremely blessed and happy without us. There are so many countless multitudes better than we are. Have they been as favored as we feel that we have been? Then why these calls of grace to us? They are purely out of benevolence. "He is the Lord, who loveth souls."

If it were not our Lord Himself, Who tells us how His calls and invitations are received, we could not believe that human nature could be so perverse, so ungrateful. The gospel tells us first that some refused: they would not come." Others promised, perhaps half meant to accept, but "they neglected." Others can it be possible?—insulted, outraged, and even put to death the servants who brought the Master's invitation.

How have we responded to the invitations of Almighty God? Please God, we have not outraged His mercy by insulting His ministers and by rebelliously disobeying His Church, as those do who neglect their Easter duties. Again, please God, we have not refused," daringly saying, "I will not." But who is there that can plead not guilty to "neglecting"? Who is there that has not put God off? Another time will do for the service of God, at present the claims of the world are very pressing. Business has to be attended to; friends are importunate; health, leisure, pleasure all urge their claims. Some other time we will respond to God! He, Who gives us time and life, is begrudged a little of the time which we owe to His loving kindness. Sometime, as we know well, is repeatedly no time: to-morrow never comes! To-day is the time to respond to God. Think for a moment the insult it is to keep God waiting for an answer. Every good resolution that, through God's grace, we have made, and that on looking back we see has come to naught, is a proof of our neglect. We began, but we neglected.

There are some who may try to excuse themselves by urging that many others have had better chances; more frequent calls of grace, opportunities of practicing piety denied to them; but none of us can truly say that we have not been invited and pressed to join God's service. Does not the gospel tell us, that the servants were at length sent out to bring in all that they could find, both good and bad? So we must have neglected or even resisted, or we should have found ourselves amongst the servants of God. Let us resolve now to take that word of St. Paul's, "I cast not away the grace of God" (Gal. ii. 21), and make it our own, and with a firm, resolute will promise, "I will never again cast away the grace of God."

Our Blessed Lord's parable tells us how the Master, hurt and grieved, complained, "They that were invited were not worthy." Let us pray for holy fear lest we be found unworthy; for a holy anxiety to look to ourselves carefully lest we neglect. We must beware of being self-satisfied. We see others, as we may think, worse than ourselves, but have they received as many graces and calls as we have? And if they are more negligent, more guilty than ourselves, how does that make us stand better in the sight of God? Again, let us not be self-satisfied by any little good that we may have done, which, very likely, is far outbalanced by our shortcomings and our faults. Take heed by the example of those who thought they would be well received by their divine Master. They had forgotten their neglect and putting God off till it was too late. The five foolish virgins came to the marriage festival after the door was shut. They were too late. The gospel says, "But at last also came the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But He answering said, Amen, amen, I say to you, I know you not." (Matt. xxv. II). And remember those others of whom our Lord said: "Many will say to Me in that day: Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name, and cast out devils in Thy name, and done many miracles in Thy name? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from Me, you that work iniquity” (Matt. vii. 22).

Is not this enough to make us humble and ready to accept God's graces; to welcome His invitations; to be careful to respond to them; and to do our utmost day after day? If we do this and persevere loyally, zealously, we shall indeed hear a very different word from the Master, a blessed welcome indeed! "Then shall the King say to them, Come, ye blessed of My Father, possess you the Kingdom prepared for you (Matt. xxv. 34)." 19th Sunday after Pentecost, Short Sermons on the Epistles & Gospels of the Sundays of the Year By Francis Paulinus Hickey, 1922