Saturday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 430
Reading 1
1 Corinthians 1:26-31
Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters.
Not many of you were wise by human standards,
not many were powerful,
not many were of noble birth.
Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise,
and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong,
and God chose the lowly and despised of the world,
those who count for nothing,
to reduce to nothing those who are something,
so that no human being might boast before God.
It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus,
who became for us wisdom from God,
as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption,
so that, as it is written,
Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalm 33:12-13, 18-19, 20-21
R. (12) Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.
From heaven the LORD looks down;
he sees all mankind.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
But see, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,
upon those who hope for his kindness,
To deliver them from death
and preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Our soul waits for the LORD,
who is our help and our shield,
For in him our hearts rejoice;
in his holy name we trust.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Alleluia
John 13:34
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I give you a new commandment:
love one another as I have loved you.
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.'”
Reflection 1
Catholic Daily Reflections
Gifts of the Holy Spirit in Superabundance
“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.’” Matthew 25:20–21
Oftentimes, when we are presented with a story of success versus tragedy, our attention goes to the tragedy first. The parable we are given today, the Parable of the Talents, presents us with three persons. Two of the people display stories of great success. One, however, offers a story that is more tragic. The tragic story ends by the master telling the servant who buried his money that he is a “wicked, lazy servant!” But both of the success stories end with the master saying, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities.” Let’s focus upon these success stories.
Both of the servants who were successful doubled the master’s money. Even from a secular point of view, that is very impressive. If you were investing money with a financial advisor and shortly after investing you were told that your money had doubled, you’d be quite pleased. Such a rate of return is rare. This is the first message we should take from this parable. Doubling the gifts and graces God gives us is very doable. The reason for this is not primarily because of us; rather, it’s because of God. By their very nature, God’s gifts to us are meant to grow. By its very nature, grace flows in superabundance; and, when we cooperate with God’s grace, then it grows in an exponential way.
When you consider your own life, what gifts has God given to you that He wants you to use for His glory? Are there gifts buried away that remain stagnant or, even worse, are used for purposes that are contrary to the divine plan for your life? Some of the more obvious gifts you were given within your very nature are your intellect and will. Additionally, you may be extra-talented in one way or another. These are all gifts given on a natural level. In addition to these, God often bestows supernatural gifts in abundance when we begin to use what we have for His glory and for the salvation of others. For example, if you work to share the truths of our faith with others, God will begin to deepen your supernatural gifts of Counsel, Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding so that you will be able to speak about God and His will. All seven of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit are among the clearest examples of supernatural gifts given by God as follows: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, Fear of the Lord. The prayer that concludes this reflection comes from a traditional novena to the Holy Spirit and not only asks for these gifts but also gives a short description of them for a better understanding.
Reflect, today, upon the fact that what God has given to you, both on a natural and supernatural level, must be devoted to the service of God and others. Do you do this? Do you try to use every talent, every gift, every part of who you are for God’s glory and the eternal good of others? If you don’t, then those gifts dwindle away. If you do, you will see those gifts of God’s grace grow in manifold ways. Strive to understand the gifts you have received and firmly resolve to use them for God’s glory and the salvation of souls. If you do, you will also hear our Lord say to you one day, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”
Reflection 2
One Bread, One Body
“OUT OF FEAR” (MT 25:25)
“ ‘My lord,’ he said, ‘you let me have five thousand.’ ”—Matthew 25:20
The servant who received the five thousand silver pieces feared his master the right way. This healthy fear is evident because upon receiving what his master entrusted to him, he “immediately” went to work on his master’s behalf (Mt 25:16). This servant had a spirit of the “fear of the Lord” and this fear caused him to “delight” (Is 11:2, 3) to receive the master’s gifts and respond with “industrious and reliable” service (Mt 25:21).
The servant who received the one thousand silver pieces feared his master the wrong way. This fear is evident because upon receiving what his master entrusted to him, he was afraid to make a mistake “out of fear” of being punished (Mt 25:25). This servant had a fear that was self-centered, not master-centered.
If God calls us to a task, He provides the grace to perform the task. Because of challenging Scriptures like these, we may be tempted to fear to succeed in God’s work since He has made it clear that success leads to even greater responsibilities (Mt 25:21). This “fear is useless. What is needed is trust” (Mk 5:36). Jesus makes it absolutely clear that greater responsibilities are first accompanied by greater grace (e.g. Mt 25:29). The Lord never sends anyone out without first empowering and equipping them for His service. Jesus entrusts us with great tasks and great gifts. We can respond to the Lord by joyfully and fearfully exclaiming, “You entrusted me” (Mt 25:22), or by sullenly and fearfully saying, “You burdened me” (see Mal 1:13). Choose the right fear.
Prayer: Father, may I make “even greater progress” in serving and pleasing You (1 Thes 4:10).
Promise: “Come, share your Master’s joy!” —Mt 25:21
Praise: James owns a television, but only watches programs that edify or educate.
Reflection 3
Shared from God's Word
The servant who received one talent buried it in the ground. He fails to be faithful in little things because of three reasons: a) He criticises and evaluates the master who gave him the talent. Often in our life we tend to evaluate the events and persons instead of living and accepting them; b) He has prejudices and fears about the master; and, c) He is afraid of losing the only talent that he has. What do we do with our God-given talents? Do we use them whereby they get multiplied, or bury them and make them redundant?
Prayers
Oh, Lord Jesus Christ, grant me the Spirit of Wisdom, that I may despise the perishable things of this world and aspire only after the things that are eternal; the Spirit of Understanding, to enlighten my mind with the light of Your divine truth; the Spirit of Counsel, that I may choose the surest way of pleasing God and gaining Heaven; the Spirit of Fortitude, that I may bear my cross with Thee and that I may overcome with courage all the obstacles that oppose my salvation; the Spirit of Knowledge, that I may know God and know myself and grow perfect in the science of the Saints; the Spirit of Piety, that I may find the service of God sweet and amiable; the Spirit of Fear of the Lord, that I may be filled with a loving reverence towards God and may dread in any way to displease Him. 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.
Daily Reflections on Divine Mercy
Reflection 243: Jesus’ Special Gift to Those He Loves
How would you treat someone you love? Typically, with family or very close friends we desire that which is best for them and that which makes them happy. God desires the same for each one of us, but we may be surprised at what God sees as the source of our happiness and what He deems to be best for us. Furthermore, though God’s love is perfect for every soul, it’s also accurate to say that God’s love deepens for those who draw close to Him. It’s not that His love changes, it’s that His love is received and encountered on a deeper level. When this happens, God is able to manifest His love in a profound way. And when God’s love is received by a soul on the deepest level, it’s often a love that calls that soul into suffering. If that surprises you just think about the Father’s perfect love for Jesus. The Father, in His perfect love for the Son, called Him to the Cross. But in that Cross, Jesus’ human soul was able to manifest the love of the Father in the most profound way. This is a mystery hard to understand, so if it’s difficult to immediately grasp do not worry. Just know that God often allows great spiritual suffering in the lives of those who have been drawn into a deep intimacy with Him (See Diary #1253).
Reflect upon the perfect love of the Father calling His Son to the Cross. Sit with that and seek to penetrate its meaning. If you can understand how the love of the Father could call the Son to this sacrifice, then you will begin to understand God’s perfect love for you as He calls you to a life of sacrifice. Do not think that God’s love will make your life “easy.” His love will make your life glorious, but most likely through suffering.
Father, the mystery of the sufferings of Jesus, Your Son, is beyond my comprehension. Help me to understand Your mysterious Will more fully and to see that suffering in this life is often a sign of Your love. Keep my eyes on the Cross in all things, dear Lord. Jesus, I trust in You.
No comments:
Post a Comment