Saturday of the
Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 430
Lectionary: 430
Reading 1 1 Cor 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.
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 Ps 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.
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.
Gospel Mt
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.'"
"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.'"
Meditation: "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.
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?
"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 Quote from the early church fathers: Eternal Joys, by Gregory the Great (540-604 AD)
"All the good deeds of our present life, however
many they may appear to be, are few in comparison with our eternal recompense.
The faithful servant is put in charge of many things after overcoming all the
troubles brought him by perishable things. He glories in the eternal joys of
his heavenly dwelling. He is brought completely into the joy of his master when
he is taken into his eternal home and joined to the company of angels. His
inner joy at his gift is such that there is no longer any external perishable
thing that can cause him sorrow." (excerpt from FORTY GOSPEL HOMILIES 9.2)
SATURDAY,
SEPTEMBER 1, MATTHEW 25:14-30
Weekday
(1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Psalm 33)
Weekday
(1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Psalm 33)
KEY VERSE: "Well done, my good and faithful servant" (v. 23).
TO KNOW: Jesus' parable of the talents was an allegory on good stewardship and the last judgment. In the story, each servant was given a different sum of money to invest. (A talent was a Greek coin worth about 6,000 denarri, equal to a year's wages. A talent's modern-day meaning of a special aptitude or gift is derived from the use of the word in this parable.) The first two servants made wise investments and doubled their money. The third servant, fearing his master's rebuke should he fail, buried the money for safe-keeping. When the master returned, each individual was asked to give an account of their investments. The wise servants were rewarded for their fidelity. They were given even greater responsibilities, and were invited to the heavenly banquet. The third servant was punished, losing the gift that had been given to them.
TO LOVE: In what ways do I use my time, treasure and talents for the kingdom of God?
TO SERVE: Lord Jesus, help me to use your gifts for the good of all.
OPTIONAL MEMORIAL OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY
Chapter V of the Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy, issued by the Holy See in December 2001, describes the Church's traditional dedication of Saturday to the Virgin Mary. "Saturdays stand out among those days dedicated to the Virgin Mary. These are designated as memorials of the Blessed Virgin Mary" (218). The chapter also describes the importance of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, in Catholic devotional life, in the Liturgy, and reflections on popular devotions to Mary, her feast days, and the Rosary.
Saturday 1
September 2018
1 Corinthians 1:26-31. Psalm 32(33):12-13, 18-21.
Matthew 25:14-30.
Happy the people the Lord has chosen to be his
own—Psalm 32(33):12-13, 18-21.
‘You entrusted me with five talents: here are five
more that I have made.’
Let us imagine talents are measures of faith,
potential for grace. Investing our talents, then, will entail living with faith
and justice and ensuring Jesus’ message travels to others. By sharing our
talents, we encourage the growth of grace which will then ripple out to the
furthest reaches of humanity.
If we simply nourish our own faith, we follow a
selfish path and the grace is likely to dry up. If we bury our talents, no one
benefits at all and the potential grace is lost. Let us take the time to use
our talents wisely, planting seeds of goodness so that grace will spread its
branches far and wide.
Saint Giles
Saint of the Day for September 1
(c. 650 – 710)
 |
| Saint Giles and the Hind | Master of St. Giles |
Saint Giles’ Story
Despite the fact that much about Saint Giles is
shrouded in mystery, we can say that he was one of the most popular saints in
the Middle Ages. Likely, he was born in the first half of the seventh century
in southeastern France. That is where he built a monastery that became a
popular stopping-off point for pilgrims making their way to Compostela in
Spain, and the Holy Land.
In England, many ancient churches and hospitals were
dedicated to Giles. One of the sections of the city of Brussels is named after
him. In Germany, Giles was included among the so-called 14 Holy Helpers, a
popular group of saints to whom people prayed, especially for recovery from
disease, and for strength at the hour of death. Also among the 14 were
Saints Christopher, Barbara, and Blaise. Interestingly, Giles was the only
non-martyr among them. Devotion to the “Holy Helpers” was especially strong in
parts of Germany and in Hungary and Sweden. Such devotion made his popularity
spread. Giles was soon invoked as the patron of the poor and the disabled.
The pilgrimage center that once drew so many fell into
disrepair some centuries after Giles’ death.
Reflection
Saint Giles may not have been a martyr but, as the
word martyr means, he was a true witness to the faith. This is
attested to by the faith of the People of God in the Middle Ages. He became one
of the “holy helpers” and can still function in that role for us today.
Saint Giles is the Patron Saint of:
Beggars
The Disabled
Disasters
The Poor
The Disabled
Disasters
The Poor
LECTIO DIVINA: MATTHEW
25:14-30
Lectio Divina:
Saturday, September 1, 2018
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Father,
help us to seek the values
that will bring us enduring joy in this changing world.
In our desire for what you promise
make us one in mind and heart.
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.
help us to seek the values
that will bring us enduring joy in this changing world.
In our desire for what you promise
make us one in mind and heart.
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 - Matthew 25,14-30
Jesus said to his disciples: 'It is like
a man about to go abroad who summoned his servants and entrusted his property
to them. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to a third one, each in
proportion to his ability. Then he set out on his journey.
The man who had received the five talents promptly went and traded with them and made five more. The man who had received two made two more in the same way. But the man who had received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
Now a long time afterwards, the master of those servants came back and went through his accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents came forward bringing five more. "Sir," he said, "you entrusted me with five talents; here are five more that I have made." His master said to him, "Well done, good and trustworthy servant; you have shown you are trustworthy in small things; I will trust you with greater; come and join in your master's happiness." Next the man with the two talents came forward. "Sir," he said, "you entrusted me with two talents; here are two more that I have made." His master said to him, "Well done, good and trustworthy servant; you have shown you are trustworthy in small things; I will trust you with greater; come and join in your master's happiness."
Last came forward the man who had the single talent. "Sir," said he, "I had heard you were a hard man, reaping where you had not sown and gathering where you had not scattered; so I was afraid, and I went off and hid your talent in the ground. Here it is; it was yours, you have it back."
But his master answered him, "You wicked and lazy servant! So you knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered? Well then, you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have got my money back with interest. So now, take the talent from him and give it to the man who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough; but anyone who has not, will be deprived even of what he has. As for this good-for-nothing servant, throw him into the darkness outside, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth."
The man who had received the five talents promptly went and traded with them and made five more. The man who had received two made two more in the same way. But the man who had received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
Now a long time afterwards, the master of those servants came back and went through his accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents came forward bringing five more. "Sir," he said, "you entrusted me with five talents; here are five more that I have made." His master said to him, "Well done, good and trustworthy servant; you have shown you are trustworthy in small things; I will trust you with greater; come and join in your master's happiness." Next the man with the two talents came forward. "Sir," he said, "you entrusted me with two talents; here are two more that I have made." His master said to him, "Well done, good and trustworthy servant; you have shown you are trustworthy in small things; I will trust you with greater; come and join in your master's happiness."
Last came forward the man who had the single talent. "Sir," said he, "I had heard you were a hard man, reaping where you had not sown and gathering where you had not scattered; so I was afraid, and I went off and hid your talent in the ground. Here it is; it was yours, you have it back."
But his master answered him, "You wicked and lazy servant! So you knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered? Well then, you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have got my money back with interest. So now, take the talent from him and give it to the man who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough; but anyone who has not, will be deprived even of what he has. As for this good-for-nothing servant, throw him into the darkness outside, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth."
3) Reflection
•Today’s Gospel presents to us the
parable of the talents. This parable was between two other parables: the
Parable of the Ten virgins (Mt 25, 1-13) and the Parable of the final Judgement
(Mt 25, 31-46).These three parables clarify and orientate persons concerning
the coming of the Kingdom. The parable of the Ten Virgins insists on vigilance:
the Kingdom may arrive at any moment. The Parable of the final Judgement says
that in order to possess the Kingdom it is necessary to accept the little ones.
The Parable of the talents orientates on what to do to make the Kingdom grow.
It speaks of the gifts and the charisma which persons receive from God. Every
person has qualities, knows something that he/she can teach others. Nobody is
only a pupil, nobody is only a teacher. We all learn from one another.
A key to understand the parable: one of the things which has greater influence on the life of the people is the idea which we have of God. Among the Jews who followed the Pharisees, some imagined that God was a severe judge, who treated persons according to the merit they had gained through the observance of the Law. That produced fear in the persons and prevented them from growing. And, especially, prevented them from opening a space within them, to receive and accept the new experience of God which Jesus communicated. In order to help these persons, Matthew tells the story of the talents.
• Matthew 25, 14-15: The door of entrance in the parable. Jesus tells the story of a man, who before going abroad, entrusted his goods to his servants, giving them five, two and one talents, according to the capacity of each one. One talent was equal to 34 kg. of gold, which is not something small! In last instance, each one receives the same amount, because he receives “according to his capacity”. Anyone who has a big cup, receives a full cup. The man went on his journey, abroad where he remained for a long time. The story produces a certain moment of suspense. One does not know for what purpose the man entrusts his money to the servants; neither does one know the end.
• Matthew 25, 16-18: The way of acting of each one of the servants. The two first ones work and make the money produce a double amount. But the one who received one talent buried it so as not to lose it. It is a question of the goods of the Kingdom which are given to persons and to the communities according to their capacity. Everyone receives some good of the Kingdom, but not all respond in the same way!
• Matthew 25, 19-23: Rendering an account of the first and the second servants, and response of the master. After a long time, the man returned. The first two servants say the same thing: “Sir, you entrusted me with five/two talents, here are five/two more that I have made”. And the master gives the same response: “Well done, good and trustworthy servant, you have shown you are trustworthy in small things, I will trust you with greater; come and join in your master’s happiness”.
• Matthew 25, 24-25: Rendering of account of the third servant. The third servant comes and says: “Sir, I had heard you were a hard man, reaping where you had not sown and gathering where you had not scattered, so I was afraid and I went off and hid your talent in the ground. Here it is!” In this phrase we have a mistaken idea of God which is criticized by Jesus. The servant considers God as a severe master. Before such a God, the human being is afraid and hides behind the exact and narrow-minded observance of the Law. The person thinks that acting in this way, the severity of the legislator will not punish him. In reality, such a person does not believe in God, but believes only in self and in the observance of the Law. This person closes up in self, separates herself from God and cannot be concerned about others. This person becomes incapable to grow and develop like a free person. This false image of God isolates the human being, kills the community, puts an end to joy and impoverishes life.
• Matthew 25, 26-27: The response of the Master to the third servant. The response of the master is ironic. He says: “Wicked and lazy servant! So you knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered; you should have deposited my money with the bankers and on my return I would have got my money back with interest!” The third servant was not coherent with the severe image which he had of God. If he imagined that God was severe, he should have, at least, placed the money in the bank. Then, he is condemned not by God but by the mistaken idea that he had of God and which makes him more immature and fearful than what he should have been. It was not possible for him to be coherent with the erroneous image which he had of God, because fear dehumanized and paralyzed life.
• Matthew 25, 28-30: The last word of the Lord which clarifies the parable. The master orders to take the talent from him and give it to the man who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough; but anyone who has not, will be deprived even of what he has.” This is the key which clarifies everything. In reality, the talents, the “money of the master”, the goods of the Kingdom, are love, service, sharing. It is everything which helps the community to grow and reveals the presence of God. Anyone who closes himself in self out of fear of losing the little that he has, at the end will lose even the little that he has. But the person who does not think of self, and gives herself to others, grows and receives in turn, in an unexpected way, everything which she has given and even more. Anyone who loses his life will find it, and anyone who has the courage to lose his life will find it”.
• The different money of the Kingdom. There is no difference between those who have received more and those who have received less. All have their gift according to their capacity. What is important is that this gift be placed at the service of the Kingdom and make the goods of the Kingdom grow. These gifts are love, fraternal spirit, sharing. The principal key of the parable does not consist in making the talents render something, but rather in relating with God in a correct way. The two first servants ask for nothing, they do not seek their own good, they do not want things for themselves, they do not close up in self, they do not calculate. In the most natural way, almost without being aware and without seeking their own merit, they begin to work, in such a way that the gift received from God may render for God and for the Kingdom. The third servant is afraid, and because of this does nothing. According to the norms of the ancient law, he acts correctly. He responds to the exigencies. He loses nothing and gains nothing. And because of this he loses even what he had. The Kingdom is a risk. Anyone who does not want to run risks will lose the Kingdom!
4) Personal questions
• In our community, do we try to know
and value the gifts of each person? Is our community a place where persons are
able to make known their talents and make them available to others? Sometimes,
the gifts of some generate envy and competitiveness in others. How do we react?
• How is the following phrase to be understood: “For anyone who has will be given more and will have in abundance; but anyone who does not have will be taken away even what he has”?
5) Concluding Prayer
We are waiting for Yahweh;
he is our help and our shield,
for in him our heart rejoices,
in his holy name we trust. (Ps 33,20-21)
he is our help and our shield,
for in him our heart rejoices,
in his holy name we trust. (Ps 33,20-21)
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