Daily Readings - Sat Sep 01 2018
1 Corinthians
26So take care of your vocation, brothers. For not many are wise according to the flesh, not many are powerful, not many are noble27But God has chosen the foolish of the world, so that he may confound the wise. And God has chosen the weak of the world, so that he may confound the strong28And God has chosen the ignoble and contemptible of the world, those who are nothing, so that he may reduce to nothing those who are something29So then, nothing that is of the flesh should glory in his sight30But you are of him in Christ Jesus, who was made by God to be our wisdom and justice and sanctification and redemption31And so, in the same way, it was written: "Whoever glories, should glory in the Lord.
Matthew
14For it is like a man setting out on a long journey, who called his servants and delivered to them his goods15And to one he gave five talents, and to another two, yet to another he gave one, to each according to his own ability. And promptly, he set out16Then he who had received five talents went out, and he made use of these, and he gained another five17And similarly, he who had received two gained another two18But he who had received one, going out, dug into the earth, and he hid the money of his lord19Yet truly, after a long time, the lord of those servants returned and he settled accounts with them20And when he who had received five talents approached, he brought another five talents, saying: ‘Lord, you delivered five talents to me. Behold, I have increased it by another five.21His lord said to him: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. Since you have been faithful over a few things, I will appoint you over many things. Enter into the gladness of your lord.22Then he who had received two talents also approached, and he said: ‘Lord, you delivered two talents to me. Behold, I have gained another two.23His lord said to him: ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. Since you have been faithful over a few things, I will appoint you over many things. Enter into the gladness of your lord.24Then he who had received one talent, approaching, said: ‘Lord, I know that you are a hard man. You reap where you have not sown, and gather where you have not scattered25And so, being afraid, I went out and hid your talent in the earth. Behold, you have what is yours.26But his lord said to him in response: ‘You evil and lazy servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered27Therefore, you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and then, at my arrival, at least I would have received what is mine with interest28And so, take the talent away from him and give it the one who has ten talents29For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he shall have in abundance. But from him who has not, even what he seems to have, shall be taken away30And cast that useless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are reminded of the profound truth that our worth and purpose are not measured by the standards of the world but by the wisdom and grace of God. The first reading from 1 Corinthians challenges us to reflect on our vocation and the gifts we have been given. Paul emphasizes that God chooses the weak and the humble to confound the strong and the wise. This is a call to humility, recognizing that our true strength comes not from our own abilities or status but from our relationship with Christ, who is our wisdom, justice, and redemption.
The Gospel from Matthew reinforces this message through the parable of the talents. The master entrusts his servants with different amounts of talents, not based on their worth but according to their ability. The servants who use their talents wisely and productively are praised and rewarded, while the one who buries his talent out of fear is condemned. This parable invites us to reflect on how we use the gifts and resources God has entrusted to us. It is not about how much we have but about how faithfully we use what we have been given. The servant who failed to act was not punished for his lack of talent but for his failure to take risks and trust in the master’s plan.
These readings call us to live with purpose and courage, trusting that God’s grace is sufficient for us. In our daily lives, we are invited to recognize the gifts we have been given and to use them in service to others and for the glory of God. Let us not be afraid to take risks or to step out in faith, knowing that our ultimate reward is not in earthly success but in hearing the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your master.” May we strive to live humbly, trust fully, and serve generously, remembering that everything we have is a gift from God.