Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A (November 19, 2017): Well done, my good and faithful servant!

Thứ Bảy, 18-11-2017 | 16:24:47

Today’s Readings:

Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31
Ps 128:1-5
1 Thessalonians 5:1-6
Matthew 25:14-30
www.usccb.org/bible/readings/111917.cfm

USCCB Podcast of the Readings:
ccc.usccb.org/cccradio/NABPodcasts/17_11_19.mp3

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.

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.'”

Good News Reflection:

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 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?

Questions for Community Faith Sharing:
How would you recommend, based on your own experiences, that Christians invest the gifts of God? How do you identify (1) your giftedness and (2) God’s purpose for it?

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.

Tags: Good News Reflection, Holy Gospel according to Matthew, my good and faithful servant!, Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Well done, Year A