Daily Readings - Wed Nov 22 2017

First Reading - 2 Maccabees 7.1, 20-31

¹And it happened also that seven brothers, united with their mother, were apprehended and compelled by the king to eat the flesh of swine against divine law, being tormented with scourges and whips²⁰Now the mother was wonderful beyond measure, and a worthy memorial of the good, for she watched her seven sons perish within the time of one day, and she bore it with a good soul, because of the hope that she had in God²¹And, with fortitude, she exhorted every one of them, in the language of the fathers, being filled with wisdom. And, joining masculine courage with feminine thinking²²she said to them: "I do not know how you were formed in my womb. For I did not give you spirit, nor soul, nor life; neither did I construct each of your limbs²³Nevertheless, the Creator of the world, who formed the nativity of man, and who founded the origins of all, will restore both spirit and life to you again, with his mercy, just as you now despise yourselves for the sake of his laws.²⁴But Antiochus, thinking himself despised, and at the same time also despising the voice of the reproacher, when only the youngest was still left, not only exhorted him with words, but also assured him with an oath, that he would make him wealthy and happy, and, if he would convert from the laws of his fathers, he would have him as a friend, and he would provide him with necessary things²⁵But, when the youth was not swayed by these things, the king called the mother and persuaded her to act toward the youth to save him²⁶And so, when he had exhorted her with many words, she promised that she would counsel her son²⁷Then, leaning towards him and mocking the cruel tyrant, she said in the language of the fathers: "My son, take pity on me, for I carried you for nine months in my womb, and I gave you milk for three years, and I nourished you and led you through to this stage of life²⁸I ask you, child, gaze upon heaven and earth, and all that is in them, and understand that God made them, and the family of man, out of nothing²⁹So shall it be that you will not fear this executioner, but, participating worthily with your brothers, you shall accept death, so that, by this mercy, I shall receive you again with your brothers.³⁰While she was still saying these things, the youth said: "What are you waiting for? I will not obey the precepts of the king, but the precepts of the law, which was given to us through Moses³¹In truth, you, who have been the inventor of all malice against the Hebrews, will not escape the hand of God

Gospel - Luke 19.11-28

Luke

Chapter 19

¹¹As they were listening to these things, continuing on, he spoke a parable, because he was nearing Jerusalem, and because they guessed that the kingdom of God might be manifested without delay¹²Therefore, he said: "A certain man of nobility traveled to a far away region, to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return¹³And calling his ten servants, he gave them ten pounds, and he said to them: ‘Do business until I return.¹⁴But his citizens hated him. And so they sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this one to reign over us.¹⁵And it happened that he returned, having received the kingdom. And he ordered the servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called so that he would know how much each one had earned by doing business¹⁶Now the first approached, saying: ‘Lord, your one pound has earned ten pounds.¹⁷And he said to him: ‘Well done, good servant. Since you have been faithful in a small matter, you will hold authority over ten cities.¹⁸And the second came, saying: ‘Lord, your one pound has earned five pounds.¹⁹And he said to him, ‘And so, you shall be over five cities.²⁰And another approached, saying: ‘Lord, behold your one pound, which I kept stored in a cloth²¹For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You take up what you did not lay down, and you reap what you did not sow.²²He said to him: ‘By your own mouth, do I judge you, O wicked servant. You knew that I am an austere man, taking up what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow²³And so, why did you not give my money to the bank, so that, upon my return, I might have withdrawn it with interest?²⁴And he said to the bystanders, ‘Take the pound away from him, and give it to him who has ten pounds.²⁵And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten pounds.²⁶So then, I say to you, that to all who have, it shall be given, and he will have in abundance. And from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken from him²⁷‘Yet truly, as for those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here, and put them to death before me.’ ²⁸And having said these things, he went ahead, ascending to Jerusalem

Sermon

In today's readings, we encounter two powerful narratives that invite us to reflect on faithfulness and trust in God. The first reading from 2 Maccabees tells the story of a mother and her seven sons who face martyrdom rather than renounce their faith. Their courage in the face of death is a testament to their unwavering trust in God's promise of eternal life. The mother's exhortation to her sons to remain faithful, even as they endure suffering, underscores the strength of their conviction and hope in God's mercy. The Gospel from Luke presents a parable that complements this theme. Jesus tells the story of a nobleman who entrusts his servants with resources and expects them to be fruitful in his absence. The servants who invest and multiply the resources are rewarded, while the one who hides the money out of fear is reprimanded. This parable emphasizes the importance of being faithful stewards and not letting fear dictate our actions. The nobleman's harsh treatment of his enemies serves as a reminder that our choices have consequences, and we are called to align our will with God's kingdom. Both readings encourage us to reflect on our own faithfulness. In our daily lives, we are called to trust in God's providence, just as the mother and her sons did. Whether we face significant challenges or everyday responsibilities, we are invited to act with courage and faith. The parable reminds us that our actions should reflect our trust in God, and we should not let fear prevent us from living out our faith. Let us strive to be faithful stewards, trusting in God's plan and living with hope and courage, even in the face of uncertainty.