SATURDAY OF THE TWENTY-FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME - Mt 25:14-30 - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

"Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities." (Mt 25:21)

READING OF THE DAY

A reading from the First Letter of St. Paul to the Corinthians

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.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Matthew

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 ground

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 plant

and 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.'"

SATURDAY OF THE TWENTY-FIRST WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME

Mt 25:14-30

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

The Word of God in today's Gospel, God speaks to everyone about the graces that God gives to each person. He requires each person to bring profit to Him from those graces through the parable of "The Talents."

This parable of "The Talents" is very practical in life, helping humanity understand the content of the message that God wants to send to humans. Indeed, God gives each person different talents, based on the difference in each person's ability when born into this world.

God is the Creator of humans and the world. Every human being is a beautiful creature in God's eyes, and He loves everyone without distinguishing between good and bad. Therefore, according to each person's ability, God gives different talents: one person receives five talents, another receives two talents, and another receives one talent. These are the graces that God gives to each person, and from those graces, each person will generate talents for God. He does not require that what we do must be successful, but only that we fulfill the duties that God gives us, which is to cooperate with Him to build a good world and society before Him.

For God, what are the talents that we generate? The answer is: that it is not the material wealth of the world, but the ability to give love to others. Indeed, He wants His disciples to generate other talents for Him, which are souls.

Today's Word of God also warns everyone that those who are given silver talents by God but do not generate profit, do not bring souls back to God, but only selfishly collect for themselves, will have those silver talents taken back by God, and will be punished to a place of darkness and suffering. Those who know how to obey and fear God, know how to fulfill the duties God has given them, and know how to make a profit from the silver talents, which is to save souls for God, will be given the reward of the Kingdom of Heaven in the hereafter, and receive peace and happiness in this life. Those who dare to work hard, sacrifice, and travel everywhere to make a profit for God, that is to seek souls for Him, will always be surrounded and protected by Him in His grace. The Word of God today calls us to go and make a profit for God from our talents, which are the graces that God gives, that is to save many souls for God like the two faithful servants in today's Gospel.

Thanks be to God. Amen.