Wednesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Investing the Gifts Of Faith
Liturgical Cycle: C | Lectionary Cycle: I
Introduction
We hear the inspiring story of the mother and her seven sons, who, with great courage, preferred to die for their faith rather than to sin against the Law.
Faith, the gospel, and the life of Christ are rich gifts which we have received to work with, to produce with, to do business with, as the gospel says. We cannot just take our faith for granted. We are stewards of the goods of the kingdom; a good steward does not only keep what the master gives him or her, but invests it to produce more. To those who have, more will be given. This is Luke’s presentation of the parable of the talents. How productive is our faith?
Opening Prayer
Good and loving Father,
you have made us rich in many ways,
our faith, the good news of the gospel,
your Son Jesus Christ above all,
with his life and his Spirit,
and the people around us.
Help us grow in this faith and this love,
teach us to invest ourselves
in your kingdom of goodness and hope,
that we may be worthy of your trust,
by the power of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Responsorial Psalm
R.(15b) Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
My steps have been steadfast in your paths,
my feet have not faltered.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my word.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings.
But I in justice shall behold your face;
on waking, I shall be content in your presence.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Alleluia Verse
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I chose you from the world,
to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel
Jesus was now near Jerusalem, and the people with him thought that God’s reign was about to appear. As they listened to him, Jesus continued to tell them a parable.
He said:
“A man of noble birth went to a distant country to be crowned king, then planned to return home.
Before he left, he summoned ten of his servants and gave them ten pounds of silver. He told them, ‘Put this money to work until I get back.’
But his compatriots, who disliked him, sent a delegation after him with this message, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.’
He returned, however, appointed as king. Immediately, he called the servants he had given the money to, to see what profit each had made.
The first arrived and reported, ‘Sir, your pound of silver has earned ten more pounds of silver.’
The master replied:
‘Well done, my good servant! Since you have proved yourself faithful in a small matter, I can trust you to take charge of ten cities.’
The second reported:
‘Sir, your pound of silver earned five more pounds of silver.’
The master replied,:
‘And you, take charge of five cities!’
The third one entered and said:
‘Sir, here is your money, which I hid for safekeeping.
I was afraid of you, for you are a demanding person: you take what you did not lay down, and you reap what you did not sow.’
The master replied:
‘You worthless servant, I will judge you by your own words! So you knew I was an exacting person, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow?
Why, then, did you not put my money on loan, so that when I returned, I could have collected it with interest?’
Then the master said to those standing by:0
‘Take from him that pound and give it to the one with ten pounds.’
But they objected,:
‘Sir, he already has ten pounds!’
The master replied:
‘I tell you, everyone who has will be given more; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.
As for my enemies who did not want me to be their king, bring them in and execute them right here in front of me!’”
So Jesus spoke, then he went ahead of them on his way to Jerusalem.
Prayers of the Faithful
– That all people may share in the earth’s resources in justice, friendship and peace, we pray:
– That all of us here may hold ourselves responsible under God for our own lives and each other’s happiness, we pray:
– That we may not be misers with the talents God has given us, but give God and one another the best of ourselves, we pray:
Prayer over the Gifts
God our Father,
you have given us much
and we have little to return to you.
But accept us in these humble gifts
and reassure us that you can do much
with people aware of their poverty.
Keep us faithful in all things,
whether small or important,
that we may render faithful service
to you and to people.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Prayer after Communion
God, loving Father,
we thank you for the living word
and the body of Jesus your Son.
We are but timid and hesitant,
afraid of committing ourselves
because you ask for ourselves.
Give us the courage to live the gospel
consistently and radically,
that however poor we are
we may be rich
in Jesus Christ our Lord.
Blessing
When the Lord asks us what we have done with the rich gifts he has given us, what will we answer? Shall it be simply but inadequately, that we have done no evil, or can we say that we have invested in people, in truth and justice and love, as the Lord asks of us. May God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REFLECTIONS
19 November 2025
Luke 19: 11-28
In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells a parable about a nobleman who entrusts his servants with a sum of money before leaving to receive his kingship. When he returns, he rewards those who have used their gifts well — and rebukes the one who hid his talent out of fear.
This parable reminds us of a simple but profound truth: God trusts us. He places gifts, opportunities, and people in our care — and He steps back, allowing us to act freely. God does not control our choices like a puppeteer pulling strings; He gives us freedom because He believes in us. The nicest thing about our God is that He trusts us.
Each of us has received something from Him — time, faith, talents, compassion, perhaps material blessings. What matters most is not how much we have, but how we use what we have. The faithful servants in the Gospel were rewarded not for being successful in worldly terms, but for being trustworthy and courageous. Their faithfulness in small things led to greater responsibilities.
The Gospel also warns us that doing nothing is not an option. Fear can paralyse us — fear of failure, of criticism, of taking risks for the sake of the Gospel. But to bury our gifts is to waste the trust God has placed in us. As Jesus teaches, “To those who have, more will be given.” Growth in faith happens only through use — by loving, serving, and giving ourselves away.
There is no standing still in the Christian life. We are either growing or fading. Let us then live each day as faithful stewards of God’s gifts, using what we have received to build His kingdom — joyfully, courageously, and with hearts full of trust.
Wasted Talents
“Which is the richest place on earth?” asked the Guru. The disciples named various cities on earth. The Guru dismissed all their answers and said, “The richest place on earth is the burial ground. There lie buried many rich talents and possibilities never realized.” How true! God sends every child with wonderful potentials; but how many of them are realized! They remain unrealized due to many reasons, not all of them are the fault of the individual, though. We fail to give our children faith in God-given talents; we label them inadequate on the basis of birth, class, gender, race, color, etc. Sometimes we force our unfulfilled dreams into them, ejecting out their own. I guess at the end of the day, we will be held responsible not only for not realizing the talents given to us, but also for not helping those around us to become who they were meant to be.
20 November 2024
Invest Your Talents to Grow in Love and Service
In today’s Gospel, Jesus tells the parable of the talents, emphasizing the unique gifts God gives each person. Everyone, in some way, has qualities they can offer to others. No one is solely a student or solely a teacher; each of us learns from and contributes to one another.
The story begins with a nobleman who entrusts his servants with wealth, instructing them to trade until his return. Jesus uses this scenario to illustratethat God gives us various abilities and expects us to use them wisely. The parable also highlights how fear can lead to inaction. One servant, afraid of his master, hides the talent he received instead of investing it. Jesus emphasizes that this mistaken view of God as a harsh ruler causes the servant to retreat, isolating himself and preventing his growth. This false image of God stifles freedom and community, showing us that fear of failure or loss hinders the development of our gifts.
The parable encourages us to rethink our understanding of God. God is not a dictator; He is a loving Father who wants us to thrive and take risks for His Kingdom. True faith drives us toserve, give generously, and love, allowing us to grow in freedom and receive even more in abundance. As Jesus said, “To everyone who has, more will be given.”
Do we recognize and value each person’s gifts in our communities? Are we providingspaces for individuals to share their talents without fear? Reflecting on this parable, we are called to trust God and courageously invest in one another, building a Kingdom rooted in faith, hope, and love.