Thirty-Third Sunday of the Year (A)

Homily (Reflection) for the Thirty-Third Sunday of the Year (A) (15th November, 2020) on the Gospel

Prov 31:10-13.19-20.30-31; Ps 127:1-5 (R. V.1); 1Thess 5:1-6; Matt 25:14-30 or 14-15.19-20.

A burglar broke into a New York firm that manufactures burglar-proof glass by smashing a glass door panel. “It never occurred to us,” said the firm’s president, “to put our own burglar-proof glass in our own door.”

Topic: Put it into use.

Jesus likened the kingdom of heaven in today’s gospel to a man “going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability” (Matt 25:14-15).

We all have been adequately blessed and also empowered to “... understand the gifts bestowed on us by God” (1Cor 2:12). There is need for each of us to understand what he/she has been given and for what purpose.

We read from Saint Paul’s letter to the Romans:

We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness (Rom 12:6-8).

God requires of each of us fruits in proportion to the talent/s given. Hence, although the slave who received 5 talents earned 5 more talents and the one who received 2 earned two more but both of them received the same judgement: “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things; I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master” (Matt 25:21; cf. v. 23). In another passage, Jesus praised the widow who gave “... two small copper coins, which are worth a penny” (Mk 12:42) and also said “... every one to whom much is given, of him will much be required; and of him to whom men commit much they will demand the more” (Lk 12:48).

Saint Paul rightly stated that all we have received are for the good of all, cf. 1Cor 12:7. We are created for good works, cf. Eph 2:10. And when the Master comes at the expiration of our span here on earth, each of us will be required to “... give account of himself to God” (Rom 14:12, cf. 1Pt 4:5; Ps 96:13; Ps 98:9; 1Ch 16:33; Is 3:13; 2Tim 4:1).

On the other hand, when the one with one talent came forward he said,

Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours (Matt 25:24-25).

What reason/s do you have for not investing your own God given talents? Remember that the servants/slaves that will be blessed are only those who did what they were charged to do, cf. Matt 24:46; Lk 12:43. Similarly, Proverbs reads “... servant who deals wisely has the king's favour, but his wrath falls on one who acts shamefully” (Prov 14:35). Jesus warns,

But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will punish him, and put him with the unfaithful (Lk 12:45-46).

Nobody has any reason for not yielding the desired fruits. So bear the desired fruits now, cf. Lk 3:8. Again, God is not expecting the same fruits from all because we are talented variedly.

Bible Reading: Matt 24:45-51; Mk 12:41-44; Lk 12:35-48; Rom 12:1-8; 1Cor 12:1-31.

Thought for today: Do you know that you are adequately blessed? Again, what fruits do you bear?.

Let us pray: Lord, you created us and adequately blessed us in order to bear the desired fruits. Give us the grace to enable us bear the fruits that befit the gifts you have given us – Amen.

You are free to share this reflection with others if you consider it worthy.

For more homilies (reflections): Visit our website: www.thepulpitonline.com; Like us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/thepulpitonline; Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/thepulpitonline; Join our WhatsApp Group via: +234 810 298 6313; Send us Email: thepulpitonline@gmail.com.

To Contact and/or to support this ministry: Tel: +234 813 305 0302; Email: thepulpitonline@gmail.com.

May God bless you all+