33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

November 19, 2017

Readings:

First Reading – Proverb 31: 10-13, 19-20, 30-3

Psalm 128

Second Reading – 1 Thessalonians 5: 1-6

Gospel reading according to Matthew (25: 14-30)

+

Homily: Each one received talents

Each one of us entrusted and received talents/abilities from the Lord God, despite of our unworthiness; as we are just ordinary servants.  But the question is how do we use the talents/abilities we received? 

We can find the answer in the gospel of Matthew.  Jesus said a parable to his disciples about “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” (Mt. 23:: 14-15).   

God knows first our abilities.  He does not give us something that we cannot do or wok out.  Also, God gives us all the freedom on what to do with the talents entrusted to us.  So He gave us something easy to perform and we are capable to make, and according to our own will.  It is up to us what to do with the talents/abilities entrusted to us.

As the story goes, the man “then 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” (Mt. 25; 16-18).  We can compare ourselves to these three servants.  We knew our responsibilities we received; otherwise we did not understand what God wanted us to do.  See what the first two servants did, they invested to trade their master’s money and they gained 100% percent, for they used their talents and abilities entrusted to them.  They were not afraid to invest their master’s property whether it will gain profit or lost, what is important they followed their master’s demands. While the third servant, for he knew his master’s attitude and because of fear to commit mistakes, he hid his master’s property to the ground and wait till his master’s return without doing anything.  Are we like the first two servants who used their talents = knowledge, wisdom, physical strength, abilities and capabilities, etc.? Or are we like the third servant who was lazy, full of fear and anxieties, though not lacking of ability? 

“After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them.  The one who received five talents came forward bringing 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 are faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities.  Come, share your master’s joy” (Mt. 25: 19-21).  The same with the second servant.  “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.  He it is back.’  His master said to him in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy servant!  So you knew 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?”  (Mt. 25: 24-27).  Take good care of the talents entrusted to you and use them wisely so that when the time comes of the day of reckoning and judgment you are ready to summit your report to Him who gave you your talents.  Or else something might take place which you won’t like to happen to you as what had happened to that third servant in the parable, “Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten” (Mt. 25: 28).  The only talent he has was taken away from him.  And the most painful event is when the Master judges us: “Throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where the will be wailing and grinding of teeth” (Mt. 25: 30)

The core of the message of the gospel according to Matthew is that, “For to everyone who has, the more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away” (Mt. 25: 29).