Saturday after the Twenty-Fifth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on November 18, 2023 by under
Scripture: St. Matthew 24:43-51 (NKJV)
24:43 But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. 44 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.
45 “Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. 47 Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. 48 But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, 51 and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Devotion
Being ready for the Christ’s Second Coming does not mean cramming in as much earthly pleasure as possible; but neither does it mean selling all of your possessions to become a begging monk. Jesus teaches that wise and faithful servants take care of whatever their master has entrusted to them until his return.
What has been entrusted to you? Consider your place in life according to the Ten Commandments. Are you a father, mother, son, daughter, husband, wife, or worker? Are you a pastor, hearer, magistrate, citizen, teacher, or student? God has entrusted to you various degrees of responsibility, wealth, and talent, which He expects you to use faithfully.
One of our most important responsibilities is toward our fellow Christians, our brothers and sisters in Christ. The faithful servant gives each member of his master’s family his food in due season. The evil servant beats his fellow servants. Those deeds will be judged on the Last Day. Whatever is done to the least of Christ’s brethren is the same as if it were done to Christ Himself. So then, let us love one another as Christ has loved us. Let us use what has been entrusted to us in service to the family of God.
Collect: Almighty God, we beseech Thee, show Thy mercy unto Thy humble servants, that we who put no trust in our own merits may not be dealt with after the severity of Thy judgment, but according to Thy mercy; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
