The Holy Martyrs Onisiphorus and Porphyry (456-474); Our Venerable Mother Matrona (456-74); the Venerable Theoctista of Lesbos
2 Thessalonians 1:10-2:2; Luke 12:42-48
Read Luke 12:42-48
Glory to Jesus Christ! Glory forever!
Jesus often reminds us in the gospels to be watchful and prepared. Today we read “Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he arrives” (Lk. 12:43). When we pray the Midnight Office on weekdays or Bridegroom Matins during Great and Holy Week in the Byzantine tradition, we sing:
Behold, the Bridegroom is coming in the middle of the night. Blessed is the servant He shall find awake. But the one He shall find neglectful will not be worthy of Him. Beware, therefore, O my soul! Do not fall into a deep slumber, lest you be delivered to death and the door of the Kingdom be closed to you. Watch instead, and cry out: Holy, Holy, Holy are You, O God. Through the intercession of the Mother of God, have mercy on us.
This prayer is a reference to the Parable of the Ten Virgins which also serves as a reminder to us to be watchful and prepared (Cf. Mt. 25:1-13). Five of the virgins were wise and five – foolish. When the bridegroom came at midnight, only the five virgins who were prepared could trim their lamps; the other five had to go buy oil in the middle of the night and ultimately show up late and be excluded from the wedding banquet. We do not know at what time Christ will return, nor do we know how long our earthly lives will last. We need to be spiritually prepared at every moment to meet Christ.
Towards the end of today’s gospel reading we read: “From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded” (Lk. 12:47). Are we aware of how much we have been given? What a gift it is if we happened to be baptized in the faith as infants so that we could mature in our relationship with Christ throughout our whole life! What a gift it is to have access to the latest technology, indoor plumbing, fully stocked shelves in grocery stores, expert healthcare, and so much more! In the autumn in North America, we celebrate Thanksgiving. As we reflect this season on those things in our lives we are thankful for, let us be reminded of our responsibility to share the good things we have received, whether they be our material fortunes or our talents.