The Festival of St. Nicholas, Bishop and Confessor
Posted on December 6, 2024 by under
Scripture: St. Matthew 25:14-23 (NKJV)
25:14 “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. 16 Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. 17 And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. 18 But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. 19 After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
20 “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ 21 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’ 22 He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ 23 His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’”
Devotion
Some argue whether the talents symbolize spiritual or material gifts. To avoid dispute, let us say that everything we have, whether possessions, vocation, soul, body, or anything else, is a sacred loan from God. Our very existence comes from Him, and He will judge us according to how we used it. Not everyone receives the same measure, but, “everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required” (Luke 12:48).
Of all that God has entrusted to us, the greatest is His Word and Doctrine—Jesus, Himself, is the Word made flesh. What man does with God’s Word is a matter of eternal life or damnation, whether he believes and keeps it, or rejects it.
Today is the Festival of St. Nicholas, a bishop and a confessor. He is remembered for his generous gifts to the poor, especially to children, and because he defended the Word of God at the Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. The heretic Arius had taught that Jesus was not true God, but something between God and the angels. St. Nicholas was among the faithful who condemned Arius and his false doctrine. By defending that Jesus is “of one substance with the Father” (Nicene Creed), St. Nicholas stood on the Doctrine of Scripture and was proved a “good and faithful servant” with what God had given him. We must all, likewise, be faithful with God’s Word and Doctrine.
Collect: O Lord, hear our prayers to Thee on this day of St. Nicholas, Thy Confessor and Bishop, that as Thou didst lead him to render faithful service to Thee, Thou wouldst lead us to faithfully confess our hope in Thy salvation, through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for Ad te levavi Sunday, the First Sunday in Advent
Stir up, we beseech Thee, Thy power, O Lord, and come, that by Thy protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins, and saved by Thy mighty deliverance; Who livest and reignest with the Father 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.
