Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?

Panagia Grigoroussa ("The Quick"), modern icon, Greece

"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?  Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.  Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.  But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 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, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

- Matthew 24:45-51

 In our recent readings, Jesus has been speaking to the disciples about the end times, which incorporates a prophecy about the destruction to come to the temple and to Jerusalem within a generation (beginning with Saturday's reading).   "Now learn this parable from the fig tree:  When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.  So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near -- at the doors!  Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.  But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.  But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  Then two men will be in the field:  one will be taken and the other left.  Two women will be grinding at the mill:  one will be taken and the other left.  Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.  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.  Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."

"Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?  Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.  Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.  But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,' and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards, 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, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.  There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."   If we take a close look at this parable, we see that it is directed toward the disciples, and specifically the apostles and their successors who will be leaders in the Church.  That is, to those whom the master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season.  In this time of prophesy of end times, in which Christ leaves His flock in the care of those who are meant to be faithful and wise servants, note that Jesus makes the analogy of feeding to pastoral care.   Once more, as He has already done several times, His warnings are against abuses in the Church, exploitation of the little ones, the less powerful, and excesses of power; self-indulgence rather than service.  He has just finished His address to the Pharisees and scribes, an eight-fold prophesy of woe and condemnation of their hypocrisy.  Here, He indicates that those who are meant to serve Him and fail to care faithfully for His household will be appointed his portion with the hypocrites. 

 Throughout the Gospel, we have read Jesus giving "exhortations to principles of virtue and warnings against corruption," as my study bible characterizes this final parable.  This is primarily directed toward the disciples, the ones who will be placed in positions of power in the Church.  But really, if we look carefully at all that He has said before regarding the prophecy of end times and the destruction of the temple, we should understand it as applying to all of the faithful.  At some level, each of us is appointed a servant, each of us awaits the Master's return, as we follow His prophecy and promise regarding His second coming.  Note that we all may give them food in due season.  That is, we might cultivate our own stores of virtue to share with others, following the directions and guidance of the Master even in His absence.  Jesus says that the evil servant in the parable says in his heart,  "My master is delaying his coming."   This easily applies to those of us who await His return these millennia later.  St. Peter addresses this problem in his Second Epistle, when he writes, "Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires.  They will say, 'Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.' "  St. Peter then reminds us of the psalm, when he continues, "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (Psalm 90:4, 2 Peter 3:3-8).  According to St. Peter, the purpose of lag or delay in fulfilling this promise of His return is for repentance; it is patience and time before the day of Judgment.  We in this world have things to learn, time to change our minds or repent.  We have experience of life so that we might reflect and come to terms with the teachings we're given.  In this sense, the delay is from the love of Christ, just as a good parent gives his or her children time to mature and to grow.  So, in this time of awaiting the Master's return, what do we do to feed and care for one another?  Clearly Jesus indicates that it is necessary that we refrain from "beating our fellow servants," not practicing violence, aggression, manipulation, not "pushing people around," so to speak.  Neither are we to "eat and drink with the drunkards," indulging ourselves in every self-centered impulse, forgetting who we are to be and the things to which Christ calls us as His servants, remembering His commands.  Certainly we are to remember Him, to be aware, and not to lose ourselves in the distractions of the day and the time.  As we await His return, we remember who we are and what we are to be about, we watch faithfully, caring for His household, maintaining our own good order for the sake of all the others as well.  In yesterday's reading, the icon type was one which depicted Mary, the Mother of God, as the One who is "Quick to Hear" our prayers (Panagia Gorgoepikoos).  Today, the icon above is similar, in that its title is Panagia Grigoroussa, the One who is Quick (to help us).  Panagia means All-Holy, and is a title for Mary; Grigoroussa is from the Greek word for "quick" or "swift."  She (as Christ's parable reminds us we are all to be as good servants) is the one who comes swiftly to help us, to respond to our requests for aid.  Her name Grigoroussa is also translated as "vigilant," meaning the one who is alert or awake to respond quickly to requests.   Let us remember that all of us are to be profitable servants, awake and alert to the tasks at hand, to the care and feeding of our fellow servants, to hear prayers and to pray with others as intercessors for one another.  This is how we await His return, and also how we await at this time the celebration of His birth into the world.