Daily Readings - Sat Aug 31 2024
1 Corinthians
26For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.27But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;28God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,29so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.30He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption.31Therefore, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."
Matthew
14"For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property.15To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.16He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more.17So also he who had the two talents made two talents more.18But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.19Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.20And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.'21His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'22And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.'23His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'24He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed,25so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.'26But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed and gather where I scattered no seed?27Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.28So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents.29For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.30And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are reminded of the profound responsibility that comes with the gifts God has entrusted to us. The first reading from 1 Corinthians encourages us to recognize that our abilities and status are not of our own making but are gifts from God. It emphasizes that God often chooses the humble and weak to achieve great things, urging us to glory not in ourselves but in the Lord. This theme of stewardship is beautifully illustrated in the Gospel parable of the talents, where a master distributes talents to his servants based on their abilities. Two servants wisely invest their talents, doubling them, while the third servant, driven by fear, buries his talent, leading to his condemnation.
The context of these readings highlights the importance of faith and responsibility. In 1 Corinthians, Paul is addressing a community divided by pride and worldly wisdom, reminding them that true wisdom comes from God. In Matthew, Jesus teaches about the Kingdom of God through the parable, emphasizing faithfulness and the responsible use of one’s gifts. Both readings connect by underscoring that our talents are not for personal glory but for serving God and others. The servants who invested their talents understood their responsibility and acted with faith, while the third servant’s fear led to inaction and loss.
In our daily lives, these readings call us to reflect on how we use the gifts God has given us. Whether it’s our time, skills, or resources, we are called to use them wisely and courageously, trusting in God’s grace. The moral lesson here is one of stewardship and faithfulness. We must not let fear or complacency prevent us from fully engaging with the gifts we’ve been given. Instead, we should embrace our responsibilities with confidence, knowing that our efforts, when aligned with God’s will, can bear abundant fruit. Let us strive to be faithful servants, using our talents to glorify God and serve others, trusting that He will multiply our efforts beyond what we can imagine.