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Saturday, August 28, 2010

Sirach 19:4, 1 Corinthians 1:26-31, Psalm 33:18-20, Matthew 25:14-30


Sirach 19:4
He who is too quick to trust others reveals a shallow mind.


One must show a childlike trust in God alone.  But prudence and wisdom is required when dealing with the people of the world.


1 Corinthians 1:26-31
26 Brothers and sisters, look and see whom God has called. Few among you can be said to be cultured or wealthy, and few belong to noble families. 27 Yet God has chosen what the world considers foolish, to shame the wise; he has chosen what the world considers weak to shame the strong. 28 God has chosen common and unimportant people, making use of what is nothing to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no mortal may boast before God. 30 But, by God’s grace you are in Christ Jesus, who has become our wisdom from God, and who makes us just and holy and free. 31 Scripture says: Let the one who boasts boast of the Lord.

It is a fact my Beloved, that we often take credit for what is purely a work of grace.  As St. Paul succintly puts it, if we look around we will see that those who are truly living the Gospel, are the simple and humble of heart.  Their sweetness, kindness, gentless, purity and patience shines from their souls through their eyes and demeanor.  This is Your way Beloved.  You have no use for those who are filled with worldly knowledge and whose entire life is focused on amassing what the world offers - they build on a foundation of straw. Their way of life, their way of thinking which they believe to be extremely clever, is based on liberalism and relativism.  The truth they profess is flaccid and spineless and stinks with the stench of satan.  Verse 29 tells us very clearly that no mortal can boast before You.

Psalm 33:18-19
18 But the Lord’s eyes are upon those who fear him,
upon those who trust in his loving-kindness
19 to deliver them from death
and preserve them from famine.
20 In hope we wait for the Lord,
for he is our help and our shield.

Thank You for Beloved for the loving assurance of Your care and protection in these verses.
 
Matthew 25:14-30
• 14 Imagine someone who, before going abroad, summoned his servants to entrust his property to them. 15 He gave five talents of silver to one, then two to another, and one to a third, each one according to his ability; and he went away.
16 He who received five talents went at once to do business with the money and gained another five. 17 The one who received two did the same and gained another two.18 But the one with one talent dug a hole and hid his master’s money.
19 After a long time, the master of those servants returned and asked for a reckoning. 20 The one who received five talents came with another five talents, saying: ‘Lord, you entrusted me with five talents, but see I have gained five more with them.’ 21 The master answered: ‘Very well, good and faithful servant, since you have been faithful in a few things, I will entrust you with much more. Come and share the joy of your master.’
22 Then the one who had two talents came and said: ‘Lord, you entrusted me with two talents; I have two more which I gained with them.’ 23 The master said: ‘Well, good and faithful servant, since you have been faithful in little things, I will entrust you with much more. Come and share the joy of your master.’
24 Finally, the one who had received one talent came and said: ‘Master, I know that you are an exacting man. You reap what you have not sown and gather what you have not invested. 25 I was afraid, so I hid your money in the ground. Here, take what is yours.’ 26 But his master replied: ‘Wicked and worthless servant, you know that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not invested. 27 Then you should have deposited my money in the bank, and you would have given it back to me with interest on my return.
28 Therefore, take the talent from him, and give it to the one who has ten. 29 For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who are unproductive, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 As for that useless servant, throw him out into the dark where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Beloved, You have left in the keeping of Your Church wealth and treasure which we are asked to increase.  You will demand a strict account of our stewardship.  Every baptised Christian has received gifts according to the work and mission entrusted to each.  There are those blessed ones who recognise these gifts and do all in their power to use them powerfully for the growth of Your Kingdom.  They are a shining light and we admire them and we wish we could be like them, ignoring our own gifts, even if they are not so brilliant. 
Those of us who are given two talents are required to live our vocation in whatever state of life we may be - wives, mothers, fathers, secretaries, clerks, laborers, teachers, nurses etc.  We are to be faithful in all the many mundane duties we are called upon to do hour after hour, day after day.  We carry the torch and we pass it on quietly.  There are so many like these who give silent but powerful witness to all around them.



And then there is this lot who are legion, who fool themselves into believing that they are doing the best they can - but they know they lie.  They are lazy, self-indulgent, wasteful.  They are an anathema in the sight of God and  man.  The Gospel tells us very clearly what will be their end.

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