Christians! Let us now listen to the voice of the Lord, and let us turn to the Lord with all our hearts and repent, that we may then hear His most sweet voice: Come, you who are blessed, and so on.

About the same

Those who sit and feast at the noble supper of this world are dressed in bright and beautiful clothes. So it will be at that most glorious and glorious heavenly supper. There those who recline will be clothed in the robe of salvation and the garments of gladness, they will be clothed in garments of gold (Psalm 44:10, 14), clothed in fine linen and bright linen. And it was given to her, that is, to the Church, to be clothed in fine linen, pure and bright; and fine linen is the righteousness of the saints, says St. John in his Revelation (Rev. 19:8). This was also shown by Christ, our Saviour, by the glorification of His holy Body on Mount Tabor, where His face shone like the sun, and His garments became white like light (Matt. 17:2). There, the bodies of the saints of God will also be conformed to the glorified Body of Christ, of which the holy Apostle assures us: "But our dwelling is in heaven, whence we also await the Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who will transform our lowly body, so that it may be conformed to His glorious Body, by the power by which He works and subdues all things to Himself" (Phil. 3:20-21). And Christ Himself says: "Then shall the righteous shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father" (Matt. 13:43).

Christian! Let us also pray to Christ the Giver of Light, and may He give us the radiant robe of justification, and let us sit down with His elect at this supper. "I behold Thy palace, O my Saviour, adorned, and have no garments, that I may enter into it: enlighten the garment of my soul, O Giver of Light, and save me."

About the same

At the noble supper of this world, every good thing is for the consolation and delight of those who sit and revel. It will be the same at the heavenly supper. There will be all good, but incomparably better than earthly things. There the holy people of God will be satiated with all the heavenly blessings that the Good and Loving Lord has prepared for them. They shall hunger no more, nor thirst, nor shall the sun burn them, nor any heat: for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and lead them to fountains of living waters; and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes (Rev. 7:16-17). The servants of the Lord will eat, drink, rejoice, rejoice in gladness of heart (Isaiah 65:13-14). They shall be satisfied with the fat of Thy house, and with the stream of Thy sweetness Thou shalt give them to drink: for with Thee is the fountain of life, in Thy light we shall see the light (Psalm 35:9-10). Thus says the Lord: "Behold, I direct upon them the world as a river, and the glory of the nations as a flooding stream; their children will be taken in their arms, and they will be comforted on their knees. As a mother comforts someone, so will I comfort you, and you will be comforted in Jerusalem. And you will see this, and your heart will rejoice (Isaiah 66:12-14). Now we see, as it were, through a glass darkly, divinatively, and then face to face (1 Cor. 13:12). Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him (1 Cor. 2:9), and so on. For there will be such bliss:

1) Let us see God face to face, from which will come unspeakable consolation, gladness, joy and exclamation of the heart. Let us see the Face of God and shout for joy.

2) Let us see our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ in His Divine glory, let us see Him Who suffered so terribly for us and died a shameful death, and thus delivered us from death.

3) Let us then enjoy all the gifts of the Holy Spirit, as the Life-Giving Source.

4) Let us have a gracious friendship with the holy Angels and all the saints who have pleased God since the creation of the world.

5) Let us triumph over all our enemies. Death! Where is your sting? Hell! Where is your victory? (1 Cor. 15:55). Thanks be to God, Who has given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! (1 Cor. 15:57).

Christian! The Merciful God still calls everyone. It is already enough to chase after the temporal and earthly, hasten quickly to this heavenly supper, where God is seen face to face, and from Him, as from the Fountain of life and ever, flows all consolation, and delight, and all-joyful exclamation. Make haste, make haste, while the doors are not yet shut, lest, when you come late, you find yourself outside standing and knocking on the doors in vain, saying: Lord! God! Open unto us (Luke 13:25).