“In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Today, on this Sunday of the Holy Forefathers—the second Sunday before the Nativity of our Lord—we gather to remember the righteous ancestors of Christ according to the flesh. From Adam and Eve, through Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to the prophets like Moses, Daniel, and Elijah, and even to Saints Joachim and Anna, the parents of the Theotokos—these holy men and women lived in faithful expectation of the coming Messiah. They shone as lights in the darkness of a fallen world, preserving the promise God made to Abraham: that through his seed, all nations would be blessed.
The Church places this commemoration here, in the heart of the Nativity Fast, to remind us that the Incarnation of our Lord was not sudden or unexpected. It was the fulfillment of centuries of divine preparation. The forefathers did not see the Savior with their eyes, yet they believed and hoped. As the Epistle today from Colossians tells us: “When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory” (Col. 3:4). They lived for this hope, putting aside earthly passions and striving toward the Kingdom.
And in the Gospel from Luke (14:16-24), our Lord tells the parable of the Great Supper. A man prepares a lavish banquet and invites many guests, but they make excuses: one has bought land, another oxen, another has just married. The master, angered, sends his servant to bring in the poor, the maimed, the blind, and the lame from the streets—and still there is room, so he compels those from the highways and hedges to come in, that his house may be filled.
This banquet is the Kingdom of God. The first invited are those who had the Law and the Prophets—the people of Israel. Many rejected the invitation when Christ came, preoccupied with worldly cares. But the invitation then goes out to the unlikely: the Gentiles, the sinners, the outcasts—like us. We, who were far off, are now brought near by the blood of Christ. The forefathers longed for this feast; they prepared the way through faith. Now, through the Babe of Bethlehem, the doors are open wide.
Yet the parable warns us sternly: No one who makes excuses will taste the supper. How often do we, like those first guests, prioritize our possessions, our work, our comforts over the Kingdom? The Nativity Fast calls us to repent of such distractions—to fast, pray, give alms, and prepare our hearts as a manger for the Lord.
The Holy Forefathers teach us how to respond. Abraham left his homeland in faith. Joseph forgave his brothers. Daniel prayed in the lions’ den. The Three Youths in the furnace praised God amid flames. They put to death, as St. Paul urges, “what is earthly in you: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire” (Col. 3:5). And in their place, they clothed themselves with compassion, kindness, humility, and love—the virtues that make us ready for the feast.
As Christmas approaches, let us imitate them. Let us reject excuses and embrace the invitation. Christ is coming—not as a judge to condemn, but as a Physician to heal the poor, lame, and blind in soul. He extends mercy even to us, unworthy as we are.
May we enter the banquet with joy, appearing with Christ in glory, together with all the Holy Forefathers. Through their prayers, O Lord, have mercy on us and save us.
Amen.”