Today's Catholic Mass Readings
& Gospel Reflection -
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time.
November 19, 2023.
FIRST READING :
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 makes cloth with skillful 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 of her labors, and let her works praise her at the city gates.
RESPONSORIAL PSALM :
"Blessed are those who fear the Lord."
SECOND READING : 1 Thes 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, 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.
Gospel : Matthew 25:14-30
"THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS".
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 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 from our holy gospel :
INVESTMENT OF LIFE.
The parable of the Talents revolves around the master's extended absence and the servants waiting for their master's return. The master stands for Jesus as the Son of Man, his return for the end of time, and the accounting of the servants for the final judgment. Matthew places the parable in the context of the household, even as he is particularly concerned about the growing Christian community. In the cultural world of the time, there were many servants who served as managers of their masters' properties or estates. Some were learned enough, with abilities on administration and accounting.
Matthew wishes to emphasize the person's great responsibility in taking care of the master's properties, here represented as talents." He expects from the leaders of the early Christian communities to be trustworthy and sensible servants, to care for the greatest wealth of the Church the Christian faith. Such is also the concern of Paul when he writes to Timothy to keep the faith , "to stir into flame the gift of God", and not to be lovers of money". Peter, likewise, urges
the elders of the Church to tend the flock of God willingly and eagerly and not for shameful profit . In whatever way, every person receives from God certain gifts or
talents a package coming with the gift of life. Life is a gift from God, and what we do with our life is our gift back to God.
Spiritual writer Henri Nouwen shares: Life is just an interruption of eternity... and our short lives on earth are sowing times. Life is an investment. People can benefit through our life as we go on bearing fruit even after we die
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