One of the most profound statements St. Paul makes in his second letter to the Corinthians, which we use as our Epistle reading this weekend, is this: God is the one who firmly establishes us along with you in Christ; it is he who anointed us and has sealed us, thereby depositing the first payment, the Spirit, in our hearts. Think about the meaning of these words. They tell us of Paul’s belief that God gives his help to those who believe in Him. Paul relates the effects of a person’s initiation into the Christian life. First, a seal, which was the personal mark that an owner placed on his   property, is given to a new Christian, indicating that s/he belongs to God; and second, a pledge is given by God to provide help and assistance. That pledge is God’s Spirit, indicating His commitment to be with a person on her/his life’s journey.

Paul clearly states his belief that God makes a personal commitment to be of assistance to those who commit themselves to the WAY of living revealed by Jesus Christ. Paul reminds us that this belief can be of great help and support as we deal with the struggles and challenges that are a part of every person’s life journey. We are encouraged to believe this.

God’s commitment to support those who make a commitment to live the Jesus WAY is reinforced, I believe, by the message contained within the parable of the Wedding Banquet, our Gospel reading this weekend. To receive God’s help and support, we need to make a real commitment to the Jesus WAY. The fullness of life cannot be experienced if we do not dispose ourselves to receive it. Think about the end of the parable. One man freely gained access to the wedding banquet. Since he did not come appropriately dressed, he could not partake in the banquet. To have access to the fullness of life, we have to make an effort to dispose ourselves to be able to accept it. Salvation, which is the experience of fullness of life, is only gained through cooperation with the Spirit of God. The cooperation required for salvation is more than just belief in God and in His Son, Jesus Christ. The cooperation required entails changing our hearts and minds to such an extent that we live more and more like Jesus – it means that we commit ourselves to a life of real effort to live more in the likeness of Jesus. God showed us how   to live by becoming incarnate and living as a human being. The Jesus WAY is God’s WAY of living this human life.