Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 157
Reading 1
Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31
When one finds a worthy wife,
her value is far beyond pearls.
Her husband, entrusting his heart to her,
has an unfailing prize.
She brings him good, and not evil,
all the days of her life.
She obtains wool and flax
and works with loving hands.
She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her fingers ply the spindle.
She reaches out her hands to the poor,
and extends her arms to the needy.
Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting;
the woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Give her a reward for her labors,
and let her works praise her at the city gates.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
R. (cf. 1a) Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
Your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Reading 2
1 Thessalonians 5:1-6
Concerning times and seasons, brothers and sisters,
you have no need for anything to be written to you.
For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come
like a thief at night.
When people are saying, "Peace and security, "
then sudden disaster comes upon them,
like labor pains upon a pregnant woman,
and they will not escape.
But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness,
for that day to overtake you like a thief.
For all of you are children of the light
and children of the day.
We are not of the night or of darkness.
Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do,
but let us stay alert and sober.
Alleluia
John 15:4a, 5b
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Remain in me as I remain in you, says the Lord.
Whoever remains in me bears much fruit.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Matthew 25:14-30
Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"A man going on a journey
called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.
To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one--
to each according to his ability.
Then he went away.
Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them,
and made another five.
Likewise, the one who received two made another two.
But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground
and buried his master's money.
"After a long time
the master of those servants came back
and settled accounts with them.
The one who had received five talents came forward
bringing the additional five.
He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents.
See, I have made five more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.'
Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said,
'Master, you gave me two talents.
See, I have made two more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.'
Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said,
'Master, I knew you were a demanding person,
harvesting where you did not plant
and gathering where you did not scatter;
so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground.
Here it is back.'
His master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant!
So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant
and gather where I did not scatter?
Should you not then have put my money in the bank
so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?
Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten.
For to everyone who has,
more will be given and he will grow rich;
but from the one who has not,
even what he has will be taken away.
And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'"
OR
Matthew 25:14-15, 19-21
Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"A man going on a journey
called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.
To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one--
to each according to his ability.
Then he went away.
"After a long time
the master of those servants came back
and settled accounts with them.
The one who had received five talents came forward
bringing the additional five.
He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents.
See, I have made five more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.'"
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
Doing Small Things Well
Jesus told his disciples this parable: “A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one—to each according to his ability. Then he went away.” Matthew 25:14–15
Many people dream of doing great things in this life. Those who play sports dream of winning the championship. Those in business dream of growing their business. Artists and actors dream of becoming well-known. In almost everything we do, we dream of excelling. This drive is part of the natural desires God has given to us.
When it comes to the most important part of our lives, we must strive to excel also. What is the most important part of our lives? It is the calling we have received to serve the will of God. Therefore, we must strive to unite our natural desire for excellence with our faith so that we will be driven to fulfill the glorious mission God has entrusted to each one of us.
Every natural ability we have must be seen as a gift, given to us by God for the purpose of glorifying Him and furthering His Kingdom on earth. In our parable today, the man who went on a journey entrusted each of his servants with a large sum of money. To one he entrusted five talents; to another two; to a third, one. A talent was a measurement of precious metals such as silver or gold. In today’s value, one talent of silver would be worth about $30,000 USD. That’s a lot of money entrusted to each of these servants. However, when the master returned, he referred to this initial gift to each as a small amount and then promised to entrust a large amount to the two servants who used the talents well.
From a human perspective, we should see the natural gifts that God has given us as a huge amount. From a divine perspective, we must see every natural gift from God as only the beginning. God has so much more He wishes to bestow upon us. In order to obtain those riches of grace, we must first use well what we have been given for God’s glory and for the furtherance of His Kingdom.
What has our Lord entrusted to you? What gifts and talents do you have? As you think about your natural talents, consider how well you use them for the service of God. Using your natural abilities only for yourself is the same as refusing to use them for God. To the one man who was entrusted with one talent and did nothing with it, the master said, “You wicked, lazy servant!” He then took the one talent away and gave it to the one with ten who was responsible with the master’s money. So in our lives, if we fail to dedicate our natural abilities to the service of God, we will lose even the little we have. But if we unite our natural desire for greatness with the call to serve the will of God, then there is no limit to the riches of grace God will bestow.
Reflect, today, upon how diligent you are in your drive to fulfill the will of God in your life. If you feel as though you cannot make much of a difference, then try to dispel that idea. Try to do small things well. Work at perfecting your charity in your daily life. Commit yourself to daily prayer. Strive to weed out all sin in your life. Do the small things well and God will smile on these little offerings and transform them into a superabundance of grace.
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
LET’S DIG IT UP
“I went and hid your talent in the ground.”—Matthew 25:25, RSV-CE
In the ancient world, a “talent” was a large sum of money. Our Lord plainly says that He expects much from those who have been given much (Lk 12:48). We servants of the Lord are branches connected to the vine, and because of that connection, we will bear fruit (Jn 15:5). In today’s Gospel parable, the money can be compared to spiritual gifts and graces that God has given to each servant (Mt 25:14ff). God expects much in return because of such great need in suffering, sinful humanity.
If, by our inaction, we do nothing with the gifts and graces He has given us, we become dormant, petrified, and fossilized (Jn 15:6). We stifle the Spirit (1 Thes 5:19) and bear no fruit.
So, if you have buried your “talent,” go and dig it up. Stir into flame the gift of the Holy Spirit the Lord bestowed in your Baptism and Confirmation (2 Tm 1:6-7). “Receive the Holy Spirit” anew (Jn 20:22).
Fr. Al Lauer, founding and long-time author of One Bread, One Body, said: “The more I say ‘No’ to myself, the more I say ‘Yes’ to the Holy Spirit.” Therefore, deny your very self, take up your daily cross (Lk 9:23), and beg the Lord for more of the Holy Spirit (Lk 11:13). Allow the Spirit to take control of your life and bear His fruit.
Prayer: Father, prune away anything You wish in my life (Jn 15:2) to make me a fruitful branch for You.
Promise: “The day of the Lord is coming like a thief in the night.” —1 Thes 5:2
Praise: Praise You, risen Jesus, Emmanuel, “God with us!” You became flesh and dwelt among us. Praise You for letting us see Your glory (Jn 1:14).
Reflection 3
The Servants of the Word
The Master Will Settle His Account with Them
What can economics and productivity teach us about the kingdom of heaven? Jesus' story about a businessman who leaves town and entrusts his money with his workers made perfect sense to his audience. Wealthy merchants and businessmen often had to travel abroad and leave the business to others to handle while they were gone.
Why did Jesus tell this story and what can it teach us? Most importantly it tells us something about how God deals with us, his disciples and servants. The parable speaks first of the Master's trust in his servants. While he goes away he leaves them with his money to use as they think best. While there were no strings attached, this was obviously a test to see if the Master's workers would be industrious and reliable in their use of the money entrusted to them. The master rewards those who are industrious and faithful and he punishes those who sit by idly and who do nothing with his money.
The essence of the parable seems to lie in the servants' conception of responsibility. Each servant entrusted with the master's money was faithful up to a certain point. The servant who buried the master's money was irresponsible. One can bury seeds in the ground and expect them to become productive because they obey natural laws. Coins, however, do not obey natural laws. They obey economic laws and become productive in circulation. The master expected his servants to be productive in the use of his money.
God rewards those who use their gifts for serving him and the good of others
What do coins and the law of economics have to do with the kingdom of God? The Lord entrusts the subjects of his kingdom with gifts and graces and he gives his subjects the freedom to use them as they think best. With each gift and talent, God gives sufficient means (grace and wisdom) for using them in a fitting way. As the parable of the talents shows, God abhors indifference and an attitude that says it's not worth trying. God honors those who use their talents and gifts for doing good. Those who are faithful with even a little are entrusted with more! But those who neglect or squander what God has entrusted to them will lose what they have.
There is an important lesson here for us. No one can stand still for long in the Christian life. We either get more or we lose what we have. We either advance towards God or we slip back. Do you seek to serve God with the gifts, talents, and graces he has given to you?
Prayers
Most generous Lord, You have entrusted to me a particular mission in life. May I work to excel in that mission, even if it seems small and insignificant. As I do, please pour forth Your abundant blessings of grace so that I will excel in giving You the greatest glory possible and will be a greater instrument of the coming of Your Kingdom on earth. Jesus, I trust in You.
Lord, I thank You for calling me to a blessed and unique mission in life. I choose, this day, that which You have given to me. I promise to say “Yes” to You throughout my life and to never tire of fulfilling Your Will. I love You, Lord. Help me to love You with my life. Jesus, I trust in You.
Lord Jesus, be the ruler of my heart and thoughts, be the king of my home and relationships, and be the master of my work and service. Help me to make good use of the gifts, talents, time, and resources you give me for your glory and your kingdom.
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