Daily Readings - Sat Aug 31 2024
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 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.