taken aug 2006

 

sept 2 2006

1 Cor 1:26-31 Consider your own calling, brothers and sisters. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing,to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God. It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, so that, as it is written, Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.

Ps 33:12-13, 18-19, 20-21R. (12) Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Blessed the nation whose God is the LORD,the people he has chosen for his own inheritance.From heaven the LORD looks down;he sees all mankind.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
But see, the eyes of the LORD are upon those who fear him,upon those who hope for his kindness,To deliver them from deathand preserve them in spite of famine.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.
Our soul waits for the LORD,who is our help and our shield,For in him our hearts rejoice;in his holy name we trust.
R. Blessed the people the Lord has chosen to be his own.

Mt 25:14-30 Jesus told his disciples this parable: “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. Then he 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 groun and buried his master’s money. After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the 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 were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’ Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said,‘Master, you gave me two talents. See, I have made two more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’ 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 plantand gathering where you did not scatter; so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.’ His master said to him in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that 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? Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’”

At first it seems harsh to punish the servant who has nothing. The servant was afraid to invest the master's money in order to make more money. The message that I gather from this is that I need to trust, to progress, make decisions that might fail and forward what is given me without fear of loss but knowledge that I have done what is best and faith that the master will be pleased in my initiative rather than being stuck and not doing anything until someone tells me to.

The first reading teaches that all good and wisdom comes from the Lord and my only boast should be in the Lord. I am always pleasantly surprised when there are people being interviewed on television for their exceptional accomplishments and they look the interviewer in the eye and say they give all the credit and thanks to God for what has just been done. I admire that presence of mind to proclaim in the moment and to steadfastly give thanks and credit to God for gifts and graces given.

I pray this morning especially for the sick and dying and those who care for them with some intentions for those I personally know in my heart at this time. May they know peace and love this day in their life.