33^rd SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME –A

I Reading: Proverbs 31:10-13.19-20.30-31: A Perfect wife-who can find her?

II Reading: 2 Thessalonians 3:7-12: Do not let anyone have food if he refuses to work.

Gospel: Matthew 25:14-30: You have shown you can be faithful in small things, come and join in your master’s happiness.

We are going to come to an end our liturgical year of worship. We will be celebrating the Feast of Christ the King in next Sunday then on the Sunday after the Advent Sunday will begin as a new year of our worship.

The first reading of today, the Book of Proverbs is a searching for practical wisdom and human’s chances of success in this endeavour are good. Chapter 31:10-31 describes the perfect wife: She is virtuous, possessed of many skills and a shrewd business woman. Yet she had hardly any rights at law. Her virtues were her own reward.

Three things occupy the mind of the perfect wife at all times:

1. The good name of her husband, carefully administering whatever he has entrusted to her, always respectful towards him.

2. She must always think and do the welfare of the family in all aspects of life.

3. she must show concern for the poor and needy in her heart and mind.

The second reading talks about the Christ’s second coming. Paul advices to them; stop discussing about the when and the how of the coming of Jesus; it is a useless discussion and it is harmful, since it distracts you from the main task in your life: to do good. The when and the how of his coming is a secret which the Lord keeps to himself; for us, it is enough to know that he will certainly come. His coming will be a surprise for everyone but not a shock or threatening. Paul also advices them to keep on living to the light of faith and not in the darkness of sin; keep always active at every kind of good work, not sleeping in idleness, as drunkards do, unaware of any danger threatening them.

Our waiting must become a longing with a great joy and happiness for Jesus’ coming, since his coming will mark the fulfilment of all our expectations.

Let us not waste our time, energy and mind with anxiety, useless and harmful discussion about the second coming of the Lord in future. Let us live with joy and work hard and do our duty with due care, responsibility and creativity in building up the kingdom of God in life and society.

The Gospel explains the wealthy master is Christ, wealthier than anyone can imagine. The servants in the parable stand for us, Christians. Jesus entrusted each one of us with incredibly precious treasures like the gift of heart, mind and body, knowledge and wisdom, talents and the unique gift of the Life in the Spirit. The Gospel tells us that the “talents” or gifts are given “in proportion to each one’s ability” (Mt 25:15). The talents for us is our own responsibility for each of our gifts. To use them rightly is to share in the joy of the kingdom. It is our duty and responsibility to care with our creative work. The Gospel also indicates the coming of Christ to judge the living and dead with rewards and punishments according to their good or bad works.

The Parable of the Talents: The Believer’s Duty to Work

Jesus was teaching a much needed lesson: we must be faithful and diligent. While Jesus is away, the believer is to do something: work-work faithfully and diligently and the believer is to know something: his work will be rewarded or severely judged.

Jesus was dealing with his return. He went “on a journey” (v.14), and “after long time, the Master” returned (v.19). That’s what we must be faithful and diligent at all times, for if we are not, when He returns there will be severe judgement.

1. The Lord went on a journey (v.14)

2. The Lord entrusted his property to his servants (v.14-15)

a. Called his servant

b. Gave each servant a different portion

c. Gave each servant according to his ability

3. The servants treated the Lord’s goods differently (v.16-18)

a. Two were responsible: Immediately worked

          1) Were faithful and diligent

          2) Were successful

b. One was irresponsible: Did not try

4. The day of settling accounts came (v.19)

a. After a long time

b. The Lord returned

5. The reward for work well done: More work to do (v.20-23)

a. The first servant

          1) Acknowledged God’s gifts and grace

          2) Laboured 100% for the Lord

          3) Was commended and given a great reward: Rulership and joy

b. The second servant

          1) Acknowledged God’s gifts and grace

          2) Laboured 100% for the Lord

          3) Was commended and given a great reward: Rulership and joy

6. The punishment for work not done: Stripping and separation (v.24-30)

a. The servant’s reasons for not working

          1) He misunderstood God: Thought God was too demanding

          2) He feared loss while on earth

b. God’s reasons for condemning the servant

          1) He was wicket and lazy

          2) He was inconsistent

          3) He failed to use his gift

c. The judgement

          1) He was stripped of what he had

          2) He was thrown into the darkness

Thought: Every person or believer has at least one gift (1Cor 12:11; Rom 12:4-9; 1Cor 12:4-30). We must always remember this and must work hard as our duty faithfully and diligently with love, joy, care, responsibility and creativity.

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