THE THIRD DAY OF THE LUNAR NEW YEAR - FEAST OF THE SANCTIFICATION OF WORK - GOSPEL (Matthew 25:14-30)

"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.” (Mt 25:29)

FIRST READING - Gn 2:4b-9,15

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

A reading from the book of Genesis

when the Lord God made the earth and the heavens.

5 Now no shrub had yet appeared on the earth[a] and no plant had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no one to work the ground, 6 but streams[b] came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground. 7 Then the Lord God formed a man[c] from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

8 Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.

SECOND READING - Acts 20:32-35

A reading from the book of Acts

32 “Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified. 33 I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. 34 You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions. 35 In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”

GOSPEL OF THE DAY - Mt 25:14-30

You entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.

✠A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew

14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,[a] each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

THE THIRD DAY OF THE LUNAR NEW YEAR - FEAST OF THE SANCTIFICATION OF WORD - GOSPEL (Matthew 25:14-30)

Dear People of God,

In today's Word of God, God reveals to all mankind His loving plan. He is the Creator of heaven and earth, all things, and all life forms. He can do everything in this world.

One important thing that God wants to let mankind know is that only humans are created by God in His image. God always loves mankind and wants to bring peace and happiness to mankind.

One important thing that God wants to let mankind know is that only humans are created by God in His image. God always loves mankind and wants to bring peace and happiness to mankind.

Since the beginning of creation, God has arranged for mankind to be happy in the Garden of Eden, to be with Him as He wishes. Everything is under God's providence and guidance. God wants everyone to know to listen to and obey His teachings because that will bring good things to mankind.

God is love. He never abandons mankind. That is why He came to the world to accompany and be with humankind in all places and at all times.

God teaches humanity very meticulously in life, especially in daily work.

God wants humankind to follow God's teachings, not to do according to our own will. As the parable in today's Gospel tells: a master before going away, gave silver talents to his servants so that they could make a profit for him: one got five talents, another got two talents, and the third got one talent.

These are the rewards that the master gives to his servants when they work together to generate benefits, to help people in life. This parable wants to say that God is the One who bestows all blessings and graces upon mankind. God is a good, kind, and loving master.

He will also give rewards, which are graces or talents to different people: one person receives five talents, another person receives two talents, and another person receives one talent; and these people must cooperate with God in making profits from the talents, or the graces that God gives.

These graces will help humanity live and do the things that God teaches, which is the grace of love; that is talent, health, intelligence, knowledge, or life experiences that God gives to mankind.

Each person has a different grace: some have more, some have less, depending on their endurance or ability to receive the grace that God gives.

All of these graces are directed toward God and must be developed to make profits to save one's soul and the souls of others. When one lives these graces, it will also help humanity enjoy happiness in the Kingdom of Heaven.

But if anyone buries grace without making a profit for God, that is, without saving souls, these servants will have to give an account before God. God will cast them into a prison of darkness, as the master did to the servant who buried the talent without earning a profit for him.

God also warns and calls people in today's world to work to make a profit for God, to develop the talents and graces that God has given to people, that is, to save souls.

All people in this world are provided for and blessed by God, given different graces; no one is without talent, and no one is without intelligence and wisdom.

God will settle accounts with each person, by calling each soul before God. He will calculate what profit has been made through the graces that God has given to each person. God wants everyone in this world to:

-Be awake to carry out God's will; do not bury or hide the talents or graces that God has given to us.

-Trust completely in God and follow His instructions; do not let God put our souls in darkness, into eternal death. God does not want humanity to live in suffering and darkness.

Therefore, on the Feast of the Sanctification of Work, God calls on everyone to work to make a profit from the graces or talents that God has given to buy into the Kingdom of Heaven; so that one day, God will call our souls to the judgment seat to give an account, to return the talents or graces that have made a profit for God.

God wants humanity to look at the parable of the master who gave silver talents to his servants so that from there they will know to be awake and strive to work diligently for God to save souls; do not lose or bury the graces that God has given to us.

That is the calling that God wants for all humanity today and throughout our lives: to always be vigilant to work well for God, so as not to fall into the traps and temptations of Satan and distance ourselves from God, from His graces.

Thanks be to God. Amen.