Daily Readings - Sat Aug 27 2022
1 Corinthians
26Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.28He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are,29so that no one may boast before him.30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.31Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."
Matthew
14"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them.15To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.16The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more.17So also, the one with the two talents gained two more.18But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.19"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them.20The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'21"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'22"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'23"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'24"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed.25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'26"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed?27Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.28"'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents.29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.30And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'
Sermon
In today’s readings, we are reminded of God’s profound wisdom and the call to live our lives with purpose and responsibility. The first reading from 1 Corinthians challenges us to recognize that our worth and identity come not from human standards of wisdom, power, or status, but from God. Paul emphasizes that God chooses the weak and the humble to confound the strong, a truth that upends the world’s expectations. This passage was written to a divided Corinthian community, where factions were forming based on human leaders and worldly wisdom. Paul calls them—and us—to humility, urging us to glory not in ourselves but in the Lord, who is our true wisdom, justice, and redemption.
The Gospel from Matthew expands on this theme through the parable of the talents. Here, Jesus teaches about stewardship and the responsibility that comes with the gifts God has entrusted to us. The master distributes talents according to each servant’s ability, and while two servants invest their talents and grow them, the third buries his out of fear. The master commends the first two for their faithfulness, while the third is rebuked for his laziness and fear. This parable, spoken during Jesus’ final journey to Jerusalem, invites us to reflect on how we use the gifts, resources, and opportunities God has given us. It is not about how much we have, but about how faithfully we use what we have been given.
Together, these readings call us to live with gratitude, humility, and courage. They remind us that our lives are not our own but are entrusted to us by God. We are called to steward our talents, time, and resources in a way that reflects our faith and trust in God’s plan. Let us not be paralyzed by fear or complacency, but rather, let us step out in faith, using our gifts to build up the Kingdom of God. As we do so, we will find that even the smallest acts of faithfulness can bear great fruit, and we will hear those blessed words: “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your master.”