Sunday - November 15, 2020
"Virtues are formed by prayer.
Prayer preserves temperance.
Prayer suppresses anger.
Prayer prevents emotions of pride and envy.
Prayer draws into the soul the Holy Spirit, and raises man to Heaven."
-- St Ephraem
TODAY'S READINGS
November 15, 2020
Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 489
When one finds a worthy wife,
her value is far beyond pearls.
Her husband, entrusting his heart to her,
has an unfailing prize.
She brings him good, and not evil,
all the days of her life.
She obtains wool and flax
and works with loving hands.
She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her fingers ply the spindle.
She reaches out her hands to the poor,
and extends her arms to the needy.
Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting;
the woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
Give her a reward for her labors,
and let her works praise her at the city gates.
Responsorial Psalm 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
R. (cf. 1a) Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Blessed are you who fear the
LORD,
who walk in his ways!
For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
Your children like olive plants
around your table.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Reading 2 1 THES 5:1-6
Concerning times and seasons, brothers and sisters,
you have no need for anything to be written to you.
For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come
like a thief at night.
When people are saying, "Peace and security,"
then sudden disaster comes upon them,
like labor pains upon a pregnant woman,
and they will not escape.
But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness,
for that day to overtake you like a thief.
For all of you are children of the light
and children of the day.
We are not of the night or of darkness.
Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do,
but let us stay alert and sober.
Alleluia JN 15:4A, 5B
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Remain in me as I remain in you,
says the Lord.
Whoever remains in me bears much
fruit.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
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.'"
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WELL DONE, MY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT!
This Sunday's Gospel reading reminds us not to bury the gifts that God has given us. To do so is to be a "wicked, lazy servant!"
Ouch.
We all have at least one buried talent. There's more we could be doing for the kingdom of God, but we think: "Not me. I'm not gifted enough" or "Someone else can do it better than I can" or "God can't be telling me to do that" or "I don't have the time, the financial resources, the know-how, or good enough health" or "I'm retired now and I've been waiting a long time to finally focus on my own desires."
There's no holy excuse for wasting anything good that God has given us, but sadly it happens quite often, because we don't realize how necessary our talents are for the Church and our joint mission of spreading Christ's influence upon the world.
What's pushing your gifts and talents aside? What's interfering with your usefulness to the kingdom of God? Now is the time to open wide your potential and release your talents into God's plans!
We are all gifted "enough" to make a difference for God's kingdom, because our abilities come from him. We're his servants, and it's up to him, not us, to decide what we're capable of doing. Even the homebound and the bedridden have a divine purpose that can be accomplished in their circumstances and sufferings. Often, these precious people are very powerful prayer warriors and have some of the soundest wisdom on earth.
Have you ever been challenged by the question: "If God is so good, why does he allow evil to happen?" The answer is: It's not God that allows it. It's we who allow it! We are the Body of Christ on earth. We are his hands and feet and vocal chords and embracing arms. Jesus truly wants to make our world more heavenly, but too many of us have seemingly good reasons to bury the gifts that could make a difference. Indeed, this is wicked laziness!
Questions for your Personal Reflection:
What good have you done? Hear God assuring you: "Well done, my good and faithful servant! Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you greater responsibilities. Come, share your Master's joy!" What "greater responsibilities" can you say yes to by offering the gifts that he's provided to you? What's stopping you from saying yes?
Today's Prayer
Good Father, I will do
everything possible with the help of Your grace to ensure that when You call me
home, I will hear from Your lips the beautiful words: "Well done, My good
and faithful servant...Come share your Master's joy." Amen.
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