Wednesday of the Thirty-third Week in
Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 499
Lectionary: 499
It happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrested
and tortured with whips and scourges by the king,
to force them to eat pork in violation of God's law.
Most admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance was the mother,
who saw her seven sons perish in a single day,
yet bore it courageously because of her hope in the Lord.
Filled with a noble spirit that stirred her womanly heart with manly courage,
she exhorted each of them
in the language of their ancestors with these words:
"I do not know how you came into existence in my womb;
it was not I who gave you the breath of life,
nor was it I who set in order
the elements of which each of you is composed.
Therefore, since it is the Creator of the universe
who shapes each man's beginning,
as he brings about the origin of everything,
he, in his mercy,
will give you back both breath and life,
because you now disregard yourselves for the sake of his law."
Antiochus, suspecting insult in her words,
thought he was being ridiculed.
As the youngest brother was still alive, the king appealed to him,
not with mere words, but with promises on oath,
to make him rich and happy if he would abandon his ancestral customs:
he would make him his Friend
and entrust him with high office.
When the youth paid no attention to him at all,
the king appealed to the mother,
urging her to advise her boy to save his life.
After he had urged her for a long time,
she went through the motions of persuading her son.
In derision of the cruel tyrant,
she leaned over close to her son and said in their native language:
"Son, have pity on me, who carried you in my womb for nine months,
nursed you for three years, brought you up,
educated and supported you to your present age.
I beg you, child, to look at the heavens and the earth
and see all that is in them;
then you will know that God did not make them out of existing things;
and in the same way the human race came into existence.
Do not be afraid of this executioner,
but be worthy of your brothers and accept death,
so that in the time of mercy I may receive you again with them."
She had scarcely finished speaking when the youth said:
"What are you waiting for?
I will not obey the king's command.
I obey the command of the law given to our fathers through Moses.
But you, who have contrived every kind of affliction for the Hebrews,
will not escape the hands of God."
and tortured with whips and scourges by the king,
to force them to eat pork in violation of God's law.
Most admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance was the mother,
who saw her seven sons perish in a single day,
yet bore it courageously because of her hope in the Lord.
Filled with a noble spirit that stirred her womanly heart with manly courage,
she exhorted each of them
in the language of their ancestors with these words:
"I do not know how you came into existence in my womb;
it was not I who gave you the breath of life,
nor was it I who set in order
the elements of which each of you is composed.
Therefore, since it is the Creator of the universe
who shapes each man's beginning,
as he brings about the origin of everything,
he, in his mercy,
will give you back both breath and life,
because you now disregard yourselves for the sake of his law."
Antiochus, suspecting insult in her words,
thought he was being ridiculed.
As the youngest brother was still alive, the king appealed to him,
not with mere words, but with promises on oath,
to make him rich and happy if he would abandon his ancestral customs:
he would make him his Friend
and entrust him with high office.
When the youth paid no attention to him at all,
the king appealed to the mother,
urging her to advise her boy to save his life.
After he had urged her for a long time,
she went through the motions of persuading her son.
In derision of the cruel tyrant,
she leaned over close to her son and said in their native language:
"Son, have pity on me, who carried you in my womb for nine months,
nursed you for three years, brought you up,
educated and supported you to your present age.
I beg you, child, to look at the heavens and the earth
and see all that is in them;
then you will know that God did not make them out of existing things;
and in the same way the human race came into existence.
Do not be afraid of this executioner,
but be worthy of your brothers and accept death,
so that in the time of mercy I may receive you again with them."
She had scarcely finished speaking when the youth said:
"What are you waiting for?
I will not obey the king's command.
I obey the command of the law given to our fathers through Moses.
But you, who have contrived every kind of affliction for the Hebrews,
will not escape the hands of God."
Responsorial
PsalmPS 17:1BCD, 5-6, 8B AND
15
R.(15b) Lord,
when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
My steps have been steadfast in your paths,
my feet have not faltered.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my word.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings.
But I in justice shall behold your face;
on waking, I shall be content in your presence.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
My steps have been steadfast in your paths,
my feet have not faltered.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my word.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings.
But I in justice shall behold your face;
on waking, I shall be content in your presence.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
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 his people. 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 his people. 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.
The
Lord expects us to be good stewards of the gifts and graces he gives us
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?
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). 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 20, LUKE 19:11-28
Weekday
(2 Maccabees 7:1, 20-31; Psalm 17)
Weekday
(2 Maccabees 7:1, 20-31; Psalm 17)
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 king who went on a journey to secure the rights to his throne. In his absence, he put his servants in charge. On the king’s return, he 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. Bishop Robert Baron says: “Think of the talents as everything that we’ve received from God—life, breath, being. Because they come from God, they are meant to become gifts. If you cling to them, in the manner of the third servant, they don’t grow; in fact, they wither away.”
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.
Wednesday 20 November 2019
2 Maccabees 7:1, 20-31. Psalm 16(17):1, 5-6, 8, 15. Luke
19:11-28.
Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full – Psalm
16(17):1, 5-6, 8, 15
‘I put it away safely because I was afraid of you …’
Jesus’ parables often teach us about seizing opportunity,
accepting responsibility and remaining faithful and steadfast. In today’s
parable, the servant, afraid of failing the powerful nobleman with his
reputation for severity, does nothing with the money entrusted to him. It is
his inaction rather than trying and failing that constitutes failure. The
servant wastes the opportunity given to him and shows contempt for the trust
bestowed on him.
Jesus, giving his message of peace and salvation to his
disciples, is asking them to do something with it. Not to keep it for
themselves as they wait impatiently for God’s kingdom on earth, but to risk
venturing out and sharing the Good News with others. That is how God’s word –
shared imperfectly among people from community to community – finds us today.
May we have courage to go out to all the world, confident in the abiding
presence of God.
Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne
Saint of the Day for November 20
(August 29, 1769 – November 18, 1852)
 |
| Mosaic of Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne in the Cathedral Basilica in St. Louis, MO | photo by Andrew Balet |
Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne’s Story
Born in Grenoble, France, of a family that was among the new
rich, Rose learned political skills from her father and a love of the poor from
her mother. The dominant feature of her temperament was a strong and dauntless
will, which became the material—and the battlefield—of her holiness. She
entered the Visitation of Mary convent at 19, and remained despite family
opposition. As the French Revolution broke, the convent was closed, and she
began taking care of the poor and sick, opened a school for homeless children,
and risked her life helping priests in the underground.
When the situation cooled, Rose personally rented the former
convent, now a shambles, and tried to revive its religious life. The spirit was
gone, however, and soon there were only four nuns left. They joined the infant
Society of the Sacred Heart, whose young superior, Mother Madeleine Sophie
Barat, would be her lifelong friend.
In a short time Rose was a superior and supervisor of the novitiate
and a school. But since hearing tales of missionary work in Louisiana as a
little girl, her ambition was to go to America and work among the Indians. At
49, she thought this would be her work. With four nuns, she spent 11 weeks at
sea en route to New Orleans, and seven weeks more on the Mississippi to St.
Louis. She then met one of the many disappointments of her life. The bishop had
no place for them to live and work among Native Americans. Instead, he sent her
to what she sadly called “the remotest village in the U.S.,” St. Charles,
Missouri. With characteristic drive and courage, she founded the first free
school for girls west of the Mississippi.
It was a mistake. Though Rose was as hardy as any of the pioneer
women in the wagons rolling west, cold and hunger drove them out—to Florissant,
Missouri, where she founded the first Catholic Indian school, adding others in
the territory.
“In her first decade in America, Mother Duchesne suffered
practically every hardship the frontier had to offer, except the threat of
Indian massacre—poor lodging, shortages of food, drinking water, fuel and
money, forest fires and blazing chimneys, the vagaries of the Missouri climate,
cramped living quarters and the privation of all privacy, and the crude manners
of children reared in rough surroundings and with only the slightest training
in courtesy” (Louise Callan, R.S.C.J., Philippine Duchesne).
Finally at age 72, retired and in poor health, Rose got her
lifelong wish. A mission was founded at Sugar Creek, Kansas, among the
Potawatomi and she was taken along. Though she could not learn their language,
they soon named her “Woman-Who-Prays-Always.” While others taught, she prayed.
Legend has it that Native American children sneaked behind her as she knelt and
sprinkled bits of paper on her habit, and came back hours later to find them
undisturbed. Rose Philippine died in 1852, at the age of 83, and was canonized
in 1988. The Liturgical Feast of Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne is
November 18.
Reflection
Divine grace channeled Mother Duchesne’s iron will and
determination into humility and selflessness, and to a desire not to be made
superior. Still, even saints can get involved in silly situations. In an
argument with her over a minor change in the sanctuary, a priest threatened to
remove the tabernacle. She patiently let herself be criticized by younger nuns
for not being progressive enough. For 31 years, she hewed to the line of a
dauntless love and an unshakable observance of her religious vows.
Lectio Divina: Luke 19:11-28
Lectio Divina
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
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.
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, forever and ever. Amen.
who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel reading - Luke 19:11-28
Jesus told the following parable because He was near Jerusalem
and they thought that the kingdom of God was going to show itself then and
there.
Thus 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 power over ten cities."
Then came the second, "Sir," he said, "your one
pound has made five." To this one 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
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 people receive from God. All people have some
qualities; they receive some gifts 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 understanding 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 statement, Luke presents the reasons which led Jesus to tell this
parable: proximity to the Passion and the imminent coming of the Kingdom
of God, because the people 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 BC), 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 of the experience they had with him. He was the
commander who repressed the rebellions in Galilee against Rome, which was
tragic and painful. This is why they said, “We do not want this man to be our
king!” The last sentence of this parable would apply to Herod: “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 of ten servants
who each received one pound. The story also recounts that Herod, after having
obtained the title of king, returned to Palestine to take over power. In the
parable, the king called his servants to whom he had given ten pounds to know
how much they had gained. The first one came in and said, “Sir, your pound has
produced ten other pounds.” 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 pound
has brought five other pounds.” 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 people who helped
them. In the parable, the king gave ten cities to the servant who multiplied by
ten the money 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 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.” In this part, 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 by acting this way, he will not be
punished severely by the ruler. In reality, such a person does not believe in
God, but believes only in self and in his observance of the law. He closes
himself up in self. He draws away from God and is not concerned about others.
He becomes incapable of growth as a free person. This false image of God
isolates the human being, kills the community, extinguishes 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 consistent in his image of God. If he imagined God to be so severe, he
should have put the money in the bank. He is not condemned by God, but by his
mistaken idea of God, which renders him immature and fearful. One
of the things which greatly influence a person’s life is his image of God.
Some Jews, especially the Pharisees, imagined God as a severe judge who
treated them according to the merits gained by observance of the
Law. This caused fear and prevented people from growing. 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 pound from him and give it to the man who has ten
pounds.” 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 king then orders it taken
away and given to the one who has ten, 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 sentence 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, everything that makes the person grow and which
reveals God’s presence: love, service, sharing. Anyone who becomes selfish out
of fear will lose what little 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
risk and 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 a
change in understanding. The Kingdom of God arrives but through the death and
the Resurrection of Jesus which will take place within a short time in
Jerusalem. The reason for Jesus’ death and Resurrection is His acceptance of
the excluded. He disturbs the great, and they eliminated Him by condemning Him
to 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 people can show or manifest their gifts?
• In our community, is there a space where people 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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