Wednesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 499
Lectionary: 499
I, John, had a vision of an open door to heaven,
and I heard the trumpetlike voice
that had spoken to me before, saying,
“Come up here and I will show you what must happen afterwards.”
At once I was caught up in spirit.
A throne was there in heaven, and on the throne sat one
whose appearance sparkled like jasper and carnelian.
Around the throne was a halo as brilliant as an emerald.
Surrounding the throne I saw twenty-four other thrones
on which twenty-four elders sat,
dressed in white garments and with gold crowns on their heads.
From the throne came flashes of lightning,
rumblings, and peals of thunder.
Seven flaming torches burned in front of the throne,
which are the seven spirits of God.
In front of the throne was something that resembled
a sea of glass like crystal.
In the center and around the throne,
there were four living creatures
covered with eyes in front and in back.
The first creature resembled a lion, the second was like a calf,
the third had a face like that of a man,
and the fourth looked like an eagle in flight.
The four living creatures, each of them with six wings,
were covered with eyes inside and out.
Day and night they do not stop exclaiming:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty,
who was, and who is, and who is to come.”
Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks
to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,
the twenty-four elders fall down
before the one who sits on the throne
and worship him, who lives forever and ever.
They throw down their crowns before the throne, exclaiming:
“Worthy are you, Lord our God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things;
because of your will they came to be and were created.”
and I heard the trumpetlike voice
that had spoken to me before, saying,
“Come up here and I will show you what must happen afterwards.”
At once I was caught up in spirit.
A throne was there in heaven, and on the throne sat one
whose appearance sparkled like jasper and carnelian.
Around the throne was a halo as brilliant as an emerald.
Surrounding the throne I saw twenty-four other thrones
on which twenty-four elders sat,
dressed in white garments and with gold crowns on their heads.
From the throne came flashes of lightning,
rumblings, and peals of thunder.
Seven flaming torches burned in front of the throne,
which are the seven spirits of God.
In front of the throne was something that resembled
a sea of glass like crystal.
In the center and around the throne,
there were four living creatures
covered with eyes in front and in back.
The first creature resembled a lion, the second was like a calf,
the third had a face like that of a man,
and the fourth looked like an eagle in flight.
The four living creatures, each of them with six wings,
were covered with eyes inside and out.
Day and night they do not stop exclaiming:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty,
who was, and who is, and who is to come.”
Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks
to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,
the twenty-four elders fall down
before the one who sits on the throne
and worship him, who lives forever and ever.
They throw down their crowns before the throne, exclaiming:
“Worthy are you, Lord our God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things;
because of your will they came to be and were created.”
Responsorial
PsalmPS 150:1B-2, 3-4, 5-6
R. (1b) Holy,
holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Praise the LORD in his sanctuary,
praise him in the firmament of his strength.
Praise him for his mighty deeds,
praise him for his sovereign majesty.
R. Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Praise him with the blast of the trumpet,
praise him with lyre and harp,
Praise him with timbrel and dance,
praise him with strings and pipe.
R. Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Praise him with sounding cymbals,
praise him with clanging cymbals.
Let everything that has breath
praise the LORD! Alleluia.
R. Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Praise the LORD in his sanctuary,
praise him in the firmament of his strength.
Praise him for his mighty deeds,
praise him for his sovereign majesty.
R. Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Praise him with the blast of the trumpet,
praise him with lyre and harp,
Praise him with timbrel and dance,
praise him with strings and pipe.
R. Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Praise him with sounding cymbals,
praise him with clanging cymbals.
Let everything that has breath
praise the LORD! Alleluia.
R. Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
AlleluiaSEE JN 15:16
R. Alleluia,
alleluia.
I chose you from the world,
to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I chose you from the world,
to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GospelLK 19:11-28
While people were listening to Jesus speak,
he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem
and they thought that the Kingdom of God
would appear there immediately.
So he said,
“A nobleman went off to a distant country
to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return.
He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins
and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’
His fellow citizens, however, despised him
and sent a delegation after him to announce,
‘We do not want this man to be our king.’
But when he returned after obtaining the kingship,
he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money,
to learn what they had gained by trading.
The first came forward and said,
‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’
He replied, ‘Well done, good servant!
You have been faithful in this very small matter;
take charge of ten cities.’
Then the second came and reported,
‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’
And to this servant too he said,
‘You, take charge of five cities.’
Then the other servant came and said,
‘Sir, here is your gold coin;
I kept it stored away in a handkerchief,
for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding man;
you take up what you did not lay down
and you harvest what you did not plant.’
He said to him,
‘With your own words I shall condemn you,
you wicked servant.
You knew I was a demanding man,
taking up what I did not lay down
and harvesting what I did not plant;
why did you not put my money in a bank?
Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’
And to those standing by he said,
‘Take the gold coin from him
and give it to the servant who has ten.’
But they said to him,
‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’
He replied, ‘I tell you,
to everyone who has, more will be given,
but from the one who has not,
even what he has will be taken away.
Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king,
bring them here and slay them before me.’”
After he had said this,
he proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem.
he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem
and they thought that the Kingdom of God
would appear there immediately.
So he said,
“A nobleman went off to a distant country
to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return.
He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins
and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’
His fellow citizens, however, despised him
and sent a delegation after him to announce,
‘We do not want this man to be our king.’
But when he returned after obtaining the kingship,
he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money,
to learn what they had gained by trading.
The first came forward and said,
‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’
He replied, ‘Well done, good servant!
You have been faithful in this very small matter;
take charge of ten cities.’
Then the second came and reported,
‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’
And to this servant too he said,
‘You, take charge of five cities.’
Then the other servant came and said,
‘Sir, here is your gold coin;
I kept it stored away in a handkerchief,
for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding man;
you take up what you did not lay down
and you harvest what you did not plant.’
He said to him,
‘With your own words I shall condemn you,
you wicked servant.
You knew I was a demanding man,
taking up what I did not lay down
and harvesting what I did not plant;
why did you not put my money in a bank?
Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’
And to those standing by he said,
‘Take the gold coin from him
and give it to the servant who has ten.’
But they said to him,
‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’
He replied, ‘I tell you,
to everyone who has, more will be given,
but from the one who has not,
even what he has will be taken away.
Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king,
bring them here and slay them before me.’”
After he had said this,
he proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem.
Meditation: "They did not want me to reign over them"
How does God establish his kingdom here on the
earth? The Jews in Jesus' time had a heightened sense that the Messiah would
appear soon to usher in the kingdom of God's justice, love, and peace on the
earth (Isaiah 11:1-9). Jesus, in fact, spoke in messianic terms of the coming
reign of God. Perhaps his entry into Jerusalem would bring about such a change
and overthrow of Roman domination.
Parable of the
talents
Jesus speaks to their longing for a new kingdom in the parable of a nobleman who went away to receive a kingdom. The parable reveals something important about how God works his plan and purpose with the human race. The parable speaks first of the king's trust in his subjects. 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.
Jesus speaks to their longing for a new kingdom in the parable of a nobleman who went away to receive a kingdom. The parable reveals something important about how God works his plan and purpose with the human race. The parable speaks first of the king's trust in his subjects. 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.
The Lord rewards
those who faithfully use their gifts and talents for doing good by giving them
more
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.
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?
The Lord Jesus offers us a kingdom of justice, love,
and peace and he calls us to live as citizens of this kingdom where he rules as
Lord and Master. Through his atoning death on the cross and through his
resurrection victory, Jesus frees us from a kingdom of darkness where sin and
Satan reign. Through the power of the Holy Spirit the Lord gives us freedom to
live as his servants and to lay down our lives in loving service of our
neighbors (Galatians 5:1,13).
The Lord expects us
to be good stewards of the gifts and graces he gives us
The Lord entrusts us with his gifts and graces and he gives us freedom to use them as we think best. With each gift and talent, the Lord gives sufficient grace and strength 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 trust in God's grace to make good use of the gifts and talents he has given you?
The Lord entrusts us with his gifts and graces and he gives us freedom to use them as we think best. With each gift and talent, the Lord gives sufficient grace and strength 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 trust in God's grace to make good use of the gifts and talents he has given you?
"Lord Jesus, be the ruler of my heart and mind
and the master of my home and goods. Fill me with a generous and wise spirit
that I may use the gifts, talents, time, and resources you give me for your
glory and your kingdom."
Daily Quote from the
early church fathers: Talents are divine gifts given to the faithful, by Cyril of
Alexandria (376-444 AD)
"To those who
believe in him, the Savior distributes a variety of divine gifts. We affirm
that this is the meaning of the talent. Truly great is the difference between
those who receive the talents and those who have even completely denied his
kingdom. They are rebels that throw off the yoke of his scepter, while the
others are endowed with the glory of serving him. As faithful servants,
therefore, they are entrusted with their Lord’s wealth. They gain something by
doing business. They earn the praises due to faithful service, and they are
considered worthy of eternal honors." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE,
HOMILY 129)
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 16,
LUKE 19:11-28
Weekday
(Revelation 4:1-11; Psalm 150)
Weekday
(Revelation 4:1-11; Psalm 150)
KEY VERSE: "Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter" (v 17).
TO KNOW: As they neared Jerusalem, Jesus helped his disciples understand that, contrary to Messianic expectations of the day, he was not going to establish an earthly kingdom. By means of allegory, he taught them that his reign was a spiritual one. In the story, he told of a nobleman who went on a journey to secure the rights to his throne. In his absence, he put his servants in charge. On his return, the king demanded an account of each servant's stewardship. The reliable and productive servants were rewarded, while those who acted irresponsibly lost everything. In Jesus' death and resurrection, he also went to a "distant country" (v 12), but he will return with kingly power and divine judgment. At that time, each individual will be evaluated on how they used the gifts God gave them.
TO LOVE: Have I invested my time, treasure and talents in God's kingdom?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to use God's gifts with wisdom and foresight.
Optional Memorial of Saint Margaret of
Scotland
Margaret, Queen of Scotland, was the granddaughter of King Edmund Ironside of England, and the great-niece of St Stephen of Hungary. She was born in Hungary while her family was in exile due to the Danish invasion of England. While fleeing the invading army of William the Conqueror in 1066, her family's ship wrecked on the Scottish coast. They were assisted by King Malcolm III Canmore of Scotland whom Margaret married in 1070. They had eight children; one was St Maud, wife of Henry I. Margaret founded abbeys and used her position to work for justice and to improve the conditions of the poor.
Optional Memorial of
Saint Gertrude the Great, virgin
Gertrude was raised in the Cistercian abbey of Helfta, Eisleben, Saxony from age 5. She was an extremely bright student, and gentle person. When she became too enamored of philosophy, she received a vision of Christ who reproached her. From then on she studied the Bible and the works of the Church Fathers. She received many visions and mystical instruction, which formed the basis of her writings. She helped spread devotion to the Sacred Heart. Her writings have been greatly praised by St Teresa and St Francis de Sales, and continue in print today.
Wednesday 16 November
Wed 16th. St Margaret of Scotland; St
Gertrude.
Apocalypse 4:1-11. Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, mighty God!—Ps 150. Luke19:11-28.
'Praise God in his sanctuary'
'Let everything that breathes praise the
Lord.' 'For he is before all things, and by his will they existed and were
created.' These moments co-exist in us. Let God prevail in our lives even as
our breath creates us; let our lives in the humblest act witnesses to God's
will. May our breath and existence greet God in the silence of his sanctuary,
may it be a cause of happiness for us. May this breath we have been given be
useful, may it be paid back to God and to the world ten-fold. May our lives, in
the breath given to us by grace, not be in vain. When we come to you, please
find us with you already; waiting and prepared, with good work done and forgive
us if we ran away from you and each other
ST. GERTRUDE THE GREAT
On Nov. 16, the Catholic Church celebrates the
memory of a distinguished medieval nun and writer in the Benedictine monastic
tradition, Saint Gertrude of Helfta, better known as “St. Gertrude the Great.”
One of the most esteemed woman saints of the Christian West, she was a notable early devotee of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
“She was an exceptional woman, endowed with special natural talents and extraordinary gifts of grace, the most profound humility and ardent zeal for her neighbor's salvation,” Pope Benedict XVI said of St. Gertrude in an October 2010 general audience.
“She was in close communion with God both in contemplation and in her readiness to go to the help of those in need.”
Born in Germany on Jan. 6, 1256, Gertrude was sent at age 5 to a monastery in Helfta, to receive her education and religious formation. Under the leadership of the abbess Gertrude of Hackeborn, the monastery was highly regarded for its spiritual and intellectual vitality. The young Gertrude’s teacher, later canonized in her own right, was the abbess’ sister Saint Matilda of Hackeborn.
A gifted student with a great thirst for knowledge, Gertrude excelled in her study of the arts and sciences of her day, while living according to her community’s strict practice of the Rule of Saint Benedict. By her own account, however, something seems to have been lacking in Gertrude’s personal devotion, which suffered due to her overemphasis of intellectual and cultural pursuits.
A change in her priorities began near the end of the year 1280, in the season of Advent. Gertrude was 24 and had greatly distinguished herself in many fields of study. But her accomplishments began to seem meaningless, as she considered the true meaning and goal of her monastic vocation. Anxious and depressed, Gertrude felt she had built a “tower of vanity and curiosity” rather than seeking to love God above all things and live in union with him.
In January of the following year, she experienced a vision of Christ, hearing him declare: “I have come to comfort you and bring you salvation.” During 1281, her priorities shifted dramatically, away from secular knowledge and toward the study of Scripture and theology. Gertrude devoted herself strongly to personal prayer and meditation, and began writing spiritual treatises for the benefit of her monastic sisters.
Understanding the love of Christ as the supreme and fundamental reality, Gertrude communicated this truth in her writings and strove to live in accordance with it. Though acutely aware of her own persistent faults, she also came to understand the depths of God’s mercy. She accepted the illness and pain of her final years in a spirit of personal sacrifice, while recalling the goodness of God that had transformed her life.
St. Gertrude the Great died on Nov. 16, though it is not known whether this was in the year 1301 or 1302. While some of her written works were lost, others survive: “The Herald of Divine Love,” “The Life and Revelations,” and St. Gertrude’s “Spiritual Exercises.”
One of the most esteemed woman saints of the Christian West, she was a notable early devotee of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
“She was an exceptional woman, endowed with special natural talents and extraordinary gifts of grace, the most profound humility and ardent zeal for her neighbor's salvation,” Pope Benedict XVI said of St. Gertrude in an October 2010 general audience.
“She was in close communion with God both in contemplation and in her readiness to go to the help of those in need.”
Born in Germany on Jan. 6, 1256, Gertrude was sent at age 5 to a monastery in Helfta, to receive her education and religious formation. Under the leadership of the abbess Gertrude of Hackeborn, the monastery was highly regarded for its spiritual and intellectual vitality. The young Gertrude’s teacher, later canonized in her own right, was the abbess’ sister Saint Matilda of Hackeborn.
A gifted student with a great thirst for knowledge, Gertrude excelled in her study of the arts and sciences of her day, while living according to her community’s strict practice of the Rule of Saint Benedict. By her own account, however, something seems to have been lacking in Gertrude’s personal devotion, which suffered due to her overemphasis of intellectual and cultural pursuits.
A change in her priorities began near the end of the year 1280, in the season of Advent. Gertrude was 24 and had greatly distinguished herself in many fields of study. But her accomplishments began to seem meaningless, as she considered the true meaning and goal of her monastic vocation. Anxious and depressed, Gertrude felt she had built a “tower of vanity and curiosity” rather than seeking to love God above all things and live in union with him.
In January of the following year, she experienced a vision of Christ, hearing him declare: “I have come to comfort you and bring you salvation.” During 1281, her priorities shifted dramatically, away from secular knowledge and toward the study of Scripture and theology. Gertrude devoted herself strongly to personal prayer and meditation, and began writing spiritual treatises for the benefit of her monastic sisters.
Understanding the love of Christ as the supreme and fundamental reality, Gertrude communicated this truth in her writings and strove to live in accordance with it. Though acutely aware of her own persistent faults, she also came to understand the depths of God’s mercy. She accepted the illness and pain of her final years in a spirit of personal sacrifice, while recalling the goodness of God that had transformed her life.
St. Gertrude the Great died on Nov. 16, though it is not known whether this was in the year 1301 or 1302. While some of her written works were lost, others survive: “The Herald of Divine Love,” “The Life and Revelations,” and St. Gertrude’s “Spiritual Exercises.”
LECTIO
DIVINA: LUKE 19,11-28
Lectio
Divina:
Wednesday,
November 16, 2016
Ordinary Time
1) Opening
prayer
Father of all
that is good,
keep us faithful in serving you,
for to serve you is our lasting joy.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
keep us faithful in serving you,
for to serve you is our lasting joy.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel
reading - Luke 19,11-28
Jesus said
the following parable, because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the
kingdom of God was going to show itself then and there.
Accordingly
he said, 'A man of noble birth went to a distant country to be appointed king
and then return. He summoned ten of his servants and gave them ten pounds,
telling them, "Trade with these, until I get back."
But his
compatriots detested him and sent a delegation to follow him with this message,
"We do not want this man to be our king." 'Now it happened that on
his return, having received his appointment as king, he sent for those servants
to whom he had given the money, to find out what profit each had made by
trading.
The first
came in, "Sir," he said, "your one pound has brought in
ten." He replied, "Well done, my good servant! Since you have proved
yourself trustworthy in a very small thing, you shall have the government of
ten cities."
Then came the
second, "Sir," he said, "your one pound has made five." To
this one also he said, "And you shall be in charge of five cities."
Next came the
other, "Sir," he said, "here is your pound. I put it away safely
wrapped up in a cloth because I was afraid of you; for you are an exacting man:
you gather in what you have not laid out and reap what you have not sown."
He said to him, "You wicked servant! Out of your own mouth I condemn you.
So you knew that I was an exacting man, gathering in what I have not laid out
and reaping what I have not sown? Then why did you not put my money in the
bank? On my return I could have drawn it out with interest."
And he said
to those standing by, "Take the pound from him and give it to the man who
has ten pounds." And they said to him, "But, sir, he has ten pounds .
. ." "I tell you, to everyone who has will be given more; but anyone
who has not will be deprived even of what he has.
"As for
my enemies who did not want me for their king, bring them here and execute them
in my presence." '
When he had
said this he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
3) Reflection
• The Gospel
today presents the parable of the talents, in which Jesus speaks of the gifts
that persons receive from God. All persons have some qualities; they receive
some gift or know something which they can teach to others. Nobody is only a
pupil, nobody is only a professor. We all learn from one another.
• Luke 19,
11: The key to understand the story of the parable. To introduce the parable
Luke says the following: “At that time Jesus went on to tell a parable because
he was near Jerusalem and the disciples thought that the Kingdom of God was
going to show itself then and there”. In this initial information, Luke
presents three reasons which led Jesus to tell this parable: (a) The acceptance
which is to be given to the excluded, referring to the episode of Zacchaeus,
the excluded one whom Jesus accepts. (b) The getting closer to the Passion,
Death and Resurrection, because he said that Jesus was near Jerusalem where
shortly he would be condemned to death (c) The imminent coming of the Kingdom
of God, because the persons who accompanied Jesus thought that the Kingdom of
God would come later.
• Luke 19,
12-14: The beginning of the parable. “A man of noble birth went to a distant
country to be appointed king and then return. He summoned ten of his servants
and gave them ten pounds telling them, ‘Trade with these, until I get back’”.
Some scholars think that in this Parable Jesus is referring to Herod who
seventy years before (40 AD), went to Rome to receive the title and power of
King of Palestine. People did not like Herod and did not want him to become
king, because the experience that they had of him was one of commander to
repress the rebellions in Galilee against Rome and it was tragic and painful.
This is why they said: “We do not want this man to be our king!” To this same
Herod they would apply the last phrase of the Parable: “As for my enemies who
did not want me for their king, bring them here and execute them in my
presence”. In fact, Herod killed many people.
• Luke 19,
15-19: The account given by the first employees who received one hundred silver
coins. The story also informs that Herod, after having obtained the title of
king, returned to Palestine to take over the power. In the Parable, the king
called his servants to whom he had given one hundred silver coins to know how
much they had gained. The first one came in and said: Sir, your talent has
produced ten other talents. He replied, “Well done, my good servant! Since you
have proved yourself trustworthy in a very small thing, you shall have the
government of ten cities. Then came the second one, and said, ‘Sir, your talent
has brought five other talents. To this one also he said, ‘And you shall be in
charge of five cities’.
According to
the story, Herod the Great and his son Herod Antipas, both knew how to deal
with money and to promote the persons who helped them. In the parable, the king
gave ten cities to the servant who multiplied by ten the talent he had received
and five cities to the one who multiplied it by five.
• Luke 19,
20-23: The rendering of account by the servant who gained nothing. The third
servant arrived and said: ‘Sir, here is your talent I put it away safely
wrapped up in a cloth, because I was afraid of you, for you are an exacting
man, you gather in what you have not laid out and reap what you have not sown.
In this phrase we have a mistaken idea of God which is criticized by Jesus. The
servant considers God a severe master. Before such a God, the human being is
afraid and hides himself behind the exact and poor observance of the law. He
thinks that acting in this way, he will not be punished by the severity of the
legislator. In reality, such a person does not believe in God, but believes
only in self, in his observance of the law. He closes himself up in self; he
draws away from God and is not able to be concerned about others. He becomes
incapable to grow as a free person. This false image of God isolates the human
being, kills the community, extinguishes the joy and impoverishes life. The
king answers: Out of your own mouth I condemn you, wicked servant!” You knew
that I was an exacting man, gathering what I have not laid out and reaping what
I have not sown? Then why did you not put my money in the bank? On my return I
could have drawn it out with interest. The servant is not coherent with the
image he had of God. If he imagined God so severe, at least he should have put
the money in the bank. He is not condemned by God, but by the mistaken idea
that he had conceived of God and which renders him more immature and more
fearful than what he should have been. One of the things which has more
influences in the life of the people is the idea that we have of God. Among the
Jews of the line of the Pharisees, some imagined God as a severe judge who
treated them according to the merit gained by the observance. That caused fear
and prevented persons from growing. And above all, it prevented them from
opening a space within themselves to accept the new experience of God which
Jesus communicated.
• Luke 19,
24-27: Conclusion for all. “And he said to those standing by: Take the talent
from him and give it to the man who has ten talents. And they answered: But,
Sir, he already has ten!” I tell you, to everyone who has will be given more,
but anyone who has not will be deprived even of what he has. As for my enemies
who did not want me for their king, bring them here and execute them in my
presence”. The man orders to take way the one hundred coins and to give them to
the one who has one thousand, because “ To everyone who has will be given more,
but anyone who has not will be deprived even of what he has“. In this last
phrase is found the key which clarifies the Parable. In the symbolism of the
parable, the silver coin of the king are the goods of the Kingdom of God, that
is, all that which makes the person grow and which reveals God’s presence: love,
service, sharing. Anyone who closes self in self out of fear to lose what he
has, he will lose even the little that he has. Therefore, the person who does
not think only of self, but gives himself/herself to others, will grow and will
receive super abundantly, all that he/she has given and much more: “one hundred
times more, a hundred fold” (Mk 10, 30). “Anyone who wants to save his life
will lose it, anyone who has the courage to lose it, will save it” (Lk 9, 24;
17, 33; Mt 10, 39; 16, 25; Mk 8, 35). The third servant is afraid and does
nothing. He does not want to lose anything and because of this he gains
nothing. He loses even the little he had. The Kingdom is a risk. Anyone who
does not run, runs a risks, he loses the Kingdom!
• Luke 19,
28: Return to the triple initial key. At the end, Luke closes this theme with
the following information: “Having said these things Jesus went on ahead, going
up to Jerusalem”. This final information recalls the triple key given at the
beginning: the acceptance to be given to the excluded, the closeness of the
Passion, death and Resurrection of Jesus in Jerusalem and the idea of the
imminent coming of the Kingdom. To those who thought that the Kingdom of God
was about to arrive, the parable orders to change the way of looking, the
vision. The Kingdom of God arrives, yes but through the death and the
Resurrection of Jesus which will take place within a short time in Jerusalem.
And the reason for the death and resurrection is the acceptance which Jesus
gives to the excluded, for example to Zacchaeus and to so many others. He
disturbs the great and they eliminated him condemning him to death, and death
on the cross.
4) Personal
questions
• In our
community, do we try to know and to value and appreciate the gifts of every person?
Sometimes, the gifts of others cause jealousy and competitiveness in others.
How do we react?
• In our
community, is there a space where persons can show or manifest their gifts?
5) Concluding
prayer
Praise God in
his holy place,
praise him in the heavenly vault of his power,
praise him for his mighty deeds,
praise him for all his greatness. (Ps 150,1-2)
praise him in the heavenly vault of his power,
praise him for his mighty deeds,
praise him for all his greatness. (Ps 150,1-2)
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