Wednesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Investing The Gifts Of Faith
Liturgical Cycle: A | Lectionary Cycle: II
Introduction
Year II. Borrowing images from Ezekiel 1 and 10, the author of Revelation gives us an inaugural vision in which he describes a liturgy of heaven, showing the power of God, who will win the fight between good and evil.
Gospel. Faith, the gospel, 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. One who has will be given more. 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.
First Reading
Heavenly Liturgy
After this, I looked up to the wall of heaven and saw an open door. The voice, which I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet, said, “Come up here, and I will show you what will come in the future.”
Immediately, I was seized by the spirit. There, in heaven, was a throne, and one sitting on it.
He who sat there looked like jasper and carnelian, and, around the throne, was a rainbow, resembling an emerald.
In a circle, around the throne, are twenty-four thrones, and seated on these are twenty-four elders, dressed in white clothes with golden crowns on their heads.
Flashes of lightning come forth from the throne, with voices and thunderclaps. Seven flaming torches burn before the throne; these are the seven spirits of God.
Before the throne, there is a platform, transparent like crystal. Around and beside the throne, stand four living creatures, full of eyes, both in front and behind.
The first living creature is like a lion, the second, like a bull; the third has the face of a man, and the fourth looks like a flying eagle.
Each of the four living creatures has six wings, full of eyes, all around as well as within; day and night, they sing without ceasing,
Holy, holy, holy is the LORD God,
master of the universe,
who was, and is, and is to come.
Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to the one on the throne, he who lives for ever and ever,
the twenty-four elders fall down before him and worship the one who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns in front of the throne and say,
Our LORD and God, worthy are you
to receive glory, honor, and power!
For you have created all things;
by your will, they came to be and were created.
Responsorial Psalm
R. (1b) Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Praise the LORD in his sanctuary,
praise him in the firmament of his strength.
Praise him for his mighty deeds,
praise him for his sovereign majesty.
R. Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Praise him with the blast of the trumpet,
praise him with lyre and harp,
Praise him with timbrel and dance,
praise him with strings and pipe.
R. Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Praise him with sounding cymbals,
praise him with clanging cymbals.
Let everything that has breath
praise the LORD! Alleluia.
R. Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
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
Invest your riches wisely
Luke 19:11-28
The Gospel passage speaks of Jesus and his disciples nearing Jerusalem. St. Luke, in the beginning of the Acts of Apostles, tells us that they “were hoping” Jesus was about to restore the political kingdom of Israel. However, the Kingdom of Jesus was quite different from what they expected.
Jesus uses a popular story of those days about Herod the King to speak about the Kingdom he would establish. The parable of the nobleman going abroad to become king is a reference to Herod Archelaus, who went to the Roman emperor to become king. His two brothers and a delegation of key people from both Judea and Samaria opposed his move. Jesus' listeners could easily relate to the parable the events that were unfolding in the history.
Archelaus, the son of Herod the Great, had gone to Rome in the year 4 BC to get himself appointed king. On his return, he succeeded his father. In the same way, Jesus is about to depart, and he will return as a king in the future. During his absence, his servants are entrusted with responsibilities.
The king gives ten units of money to each of the ten servants and instructs them to invest the money until he returns. Luke's narrative gives Each tenant a similar amount to do business with. In contrast to other gospels, many people despised this Master and did not wish to have him as their ruler. While he is ‘away’, his ‘servants’ will be entrusted to care for their Master’s affairs. But many will reject him altogether.
Today we are asked to reflect on the unique gifts that God has given to each one of us and how we are using them – investing them. When we invest our riches – talents in the love of God and our neighbour, we multiply our riches. Where do we invest our gifts and talents?
The message is clear: the more we invest, the more we gain. The only way to achieve is to let go, give, and share.