33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
A
Proverbs 31: 10-13, 19-20, 30-31; 1
Thessalonians 5: 1-6; Matthew 25: 14-30
I continue to look at myself and to judge my actions, my plans, my responsibilities , my gifts and my daily living and ask: in what have I invested this past year? What projects am I excited about and enthusiastic over? Have I a place for God in my future plans? Am I providing space for my spiritual development?
Is any of my hesitation due to fear? Do I realize that Jesus has redeemed me and gives me grace to be the person He needs me to be?
I look to the wisdom in the readings to help me in my judging. It may be strange to hear the first reading from Proverbs and thinking that these are the qualities of an ideal wife or virtuous woman and it doesn’t have any meaning to me? The first nine chapters of the book of Proverbs, Wisdom is personified as a woman who invites all to seek true ‘Wisdom’. The remaining chapters contain a collection of proverbs and wise saying that are very useful in living a successful life. The book closes with today’s first reading where ‘Wisdom’ is going to the streets seeking followers while this woman stays at home attending to all the household needs. The many proverbs challenge each person to search for wisdom, the wisdom of God. The underlying theme is that His wisdom and success are available to all, regardless of their gender. So am I seeking the wisdom of God in living my daily life as best I know how in light of His teachings and guidance?
The second reading from Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians puts my future into definite perspective: “…You yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night.” For people who refuse to believe in Jesus, their last day will come as a ‘thief in the night’. Paul says that they will suffer disaster and be lost in the darkness. Now Paul and the early Christians believed that the risen Jesus would return and this would be the end-time. They believed that this return was imminent and would definitely happen in their own lives. When Jesus returned He would judge the living and the dead and how they lived their lives; their actions would decide their fate. The Thessalonians asked Paul “When,” and he responded “when you least expect”…”like a thief in the night”. Paul asked, ‘So what are you doing…how are you preparing for this…how are you living your lives…are you living as Jesus showed you…or are you enjoying the good life…do you think that Jesus was serious or are you playing ‘Russian roulette’? Today is the day to act!
Then Matthew shares Jesus’ parable; He delivers this just before the Palm Sunday procession and Holy Week. Jesus had left the temple in Jerusalem and was teaching end-time thoughts to His disciples. The titles of these in the New American Bible are as follows: The Destruction of the Temple Foretold: The Beginning of Calamities, the Great Tribulation; The Coming of the Son of Man; the Lesson of the Fig Tree; The Unknown Day and Hour; the Faithful or the Unfaithful Servant; the Parable of the Ten Virgins; and todays, Parable of the Talents. Each parable is alerting His disciples and me to the urgency at hand: to live today as Jesus so that I am prepared for my last day and my first day in eternity.
Matthew, A Devotional Commentary
gives a beautiful reflection for me and I share it, “Jesus
will come again. We don’t know when or how, but He has promised
that He will return in glory to establish a new heaven and a new
earth. We who live in the time between Jesus’ ascension and His
return are called to vigilance and resourcefulness as we await the
coming of our king.
Just
as an industrious wife takes initiative in caring for her household
(today’s first reading), so
the church is called to manage her affairs wisely and prudently.
During this time of anticipation, we are called to use our resources
to spread the gospel and to ensure the spiritual prosperity of the
church. We are called to serve our Master and please Him in all of
our actions. Our vigilance affects the way we live. By walking as
‘sons of light and sons of the day’—through obedience to God’s
commands and a life of prayer and love—we attest to our faith in
Christ’s return (today’s second reading).
Every
day, we have many opportunities to use the gifts God has given us.
As the parable of the talents shows, two servants took risks with the
money they were given; they invested it and earned a good return.
The third was afraid to take any risks, and so he hid the money and
returned it to his master at the first opportunity. Like the first
two servants, we are also called to take risks for the kingdom of
God, stepping out in faith and watching to see God move as we trust
in Him.
God
does not give us gifts and talents so that we will hide them or turn
them to selfish ends. Every one of us has been uniquely constituted
by the Lord to play a role in the advancement of His kingdom, using
all the resources He has given us. Whether it be money, abilities,
time, or training and background, nothing is irrelevant. We can be
assured that any initiatives we take to use our gifts will be
blessed. Remember: God’s desire for His people is always much
greater than ours; He will do everything He can to bring the gospel
to the ends of the earth.
As we give of ourselves, we
will see God’s power and glory revealed. Our active involvement in
this life is truly an adventure, filled with opportunities to use all
that God has given us and to see Him work wonders as we do. This is
our high calling. Let us accept it with gratitude and joy.”
So I reflect on:
- If the final judgment of the world
would happen tomorrow, would I be ready? What do I need to do and
change in my life so that I could be ready? Would it really be that
hard to do? Or would it be more ‘swallowing my pride’ and just
being more of the God person God has touched me to be?
“I take a few moments with Jesus to review my talents and be grateful for them. Then I ask Him if I am using them in ways that respond to the needs of those around me.
It
is a wonderful thing that I should be able to bring joy to God.
Jesus set out to please His Father (John 8:29), and my life takes on
new color when I do likewise.”
I have found that it’s all about living in the
presence of God now. How am I doing? Am I allowing God to help me
with this? He loves me that much!
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