The Collect is a prayer that
focuses us on the general theme of the readings for each Sunday in liturgical
churches. Proper 33 is the last Sunday in the Church year before the
"Reign of Christ" (next week) which marks the end of Year A. This is
important as a final message generally sums up all that has gone before. The
readings begin with a contrast between the disasters that fell on the Hebrew
people when they abandoned God, and the military victories and good times when
they returned to faith and kept the Covenants of Abraham and Moses. Paul's
letter to the people in Thessalonica (1 Thess. 5.1-11) describes this contrast
as between people of light and people of darkness. The parable of the Talents
(75 lbs. of silver) is a reminder that Jesus will come back to judge us based
on what we have done with the gifts we have been given in life. This is not
about good works but about faith, hope and the development of spiritual life.
1.
What was the darkness ensnared the "wicked servant"?
Notice that he was not
accused of the usual sins we think of as preventing inclusion in the Kingdom of
God:
