Mathew 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.’
24 “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
26 “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27 So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.
29 ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
That servant who received five talents is the people of believers under the Law, who beginning with that, doubled their merit by the right obedience of an evangelic faith…the servant to whom two talents were committed is the people of the Gentiles justified by the faith and confession of the Son and of the Father, confessing our Lord Jesus Christ, to be both God and Man, both Spirit and Flesh. These are the two talents committed to this servant. But as the Jewish people doubled by its belief in the Gospel every Sacrament which it had learned in the Law, (i. e. its five talents,) so this people by its use of its two talents merited understanding and working. This servant who has received one talent and hid it in the earth is the people that continue in the Law, who through jealousy of the salvation of the Gentiles hide the talent they have received in the earth. For to hide a talent in the earth is to hide the glory of the new preaching through offence at the Passion of His Body. His coming to reckon with them is the inquest of the day of judgment.
Monday
+This we will short thoughts from Modern Orthodox Elders
Theme: Preiminence of Love…
“Christ recommends not an earthly but a heavenly example of love to His own, “If you keep My commandments you shall abide in my love; even as I have My Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.” All of His commandments are summed up in one – to love. All the other commandments such as those concerning prayer, mercy, humility, purity, long-suffering, sacrifice, courage, carefulness, forgiveness, vigilance, joy, etc. are only individual beams of love. He requires the queen of all virtues will acquire all the Queens maidens as well.” St. Nikolai Velimirovich ~Missionary Letter #2
Tuesday
Theme: True experience of God…
“The true experience of heaven is accompanied by a feeling of such awe and fear before the greatness of God and a feeling that such unworthiness to be beholding it as is seldom found among Orthodox Christians today let alone those outside the Church of Christ…Those who have seen “paradise” in the ‘aerial realm’ today are pleased, happy, satisfied – seldom anything more; if they behold Christ in some form it is only to indulge in the familiar dialogues with him that characterize experiences in the [Protestant] “charismatic” movement. The element of the Divine and of man’s awe before it, the fear of God, are absent in such experiences.” Fr Seraphim Rose ~The Soul After Death
Wednesday
Theme: How to find God’s Will in our lives…
“Those who ask spiritual people in order to discover the divine will should be aware of this point: the will of God is not revealed magically nor does it hold a position of relativity since it is not contained within the narrow confines of human reason. In His consummate goodness God condescends to human weakness and gives man sure knowledge. But man must first believe absolutely and secondly humble himself by thirsting ardently for this assurance and by being disposed to carry it out. This is why he receives with faith and gratitude the first word of {a} spiritual father who is advising him.” Elder Joseph ~Elder Joseph the Hesychast
Thursday
Theme: we just ‘work’ to love God…
“Those who desire and crave to belong to Christ and who abandon themselves to the will of God become worthy. It’s a great thing, all important, to have no will. The slave has no will of his own. And it is possible for us to have no will of our own in a very simple manner: through the love of Christ and the keeping of His commandments. We have to wrestle with the roaring lion. We cannot allow the devious enemy to prevail in the struggle. This presupposes tears, repentance, prayer, almsgiving and entreaties in conjunction with trust in Christ and not being of little faith. Only Christ can free us from the shackles of solitude. Prayer, repentance and almsgiving: give at least a glass of water if you don’t have money. And you may note that the more you are sanctified…for your prayers are heard.” Elder Prophyrios ~Wounded by Love
Friday
Theme: practical reasons for reading the Bible and lives of Saints…
“Naturally his first choice in reading was Holy Scripture and especially the New Testament and the Psalms. His mind was so steeped in the concepts found in the Psalms that he wrote his letters with a style similar to that of biblical texts. The also like reading lives of the Saints which relax the mind, sweeten the heart, enrich ones discernment and increase one’s zeal for greater ascetical feats. He said that the lives of the Saints are like a mirror in which one can see one’s faults. His disciples remembered that no matter what problem they had he would always have some beneficial incident from the lives of the Saints to tell which would shed light on their need or on the issue that concerned them.” Elder Joseph ~My Elder Joseph
Saturday
Theme: the need to wait before trying to advise others
“In the not too distant past there was sincere repentance. When someone repented he repented and did not backslide…now I see some people who as soon as they change their way of life begin to be teachers and instructors to others while their old self is still active inside. One must repent, then stop living the prodigal life of the past and begin living spiritually; and this of course is a positive help to others. But for one to go directly from the state of prodigality to become a spiritual person and an instructor, well, that’s an illusion.” Elder Paisios ~Spiritual Struggle