Did you bury your talent?

Matthew 25:14-31

Jesus went on to give a parable which describes the use of a talent. In those days the talent represented the money, so obviously here Jesus was explaining the use of money, but what is not so obvious is the fact that Jesus was also implying the actual use of a person’s ‘talent’ or ‘gift’. It follows that if we accept Jesus into our lives and look deeply at this message we are able to see how exactly we ourselves should use our money and our gifts, both given to us by the Holy Spirit. We should recognize that God has given each of us a gift or gifts, according to our ability some may have more gifts than others and some may have only one. In each case not one of us should be like the good-for-nothing servant. “No one lights a lamp and puts it in some hidden place or under a tub; they put it on some lamp stand so people may see the light when they come in” [Luke 11: 33-34]. Why hide our talents and bury them in the ground? No we must go out fearlessly in the world and share our talents, faithfully committed to God so that His Will is done on earth as it is in Heaven. Your Father who sees all what you are doing, will indeed give you more talents and prune you to cultivate them also, so not only you would have but you will have more than enough.

FAITH FOREVER

‘he went home again, and once more such a crowd collected that they could not even have a meal. when his relations heard of this, they set out to take charge of him; they said, “he was out of his mind”.

Instead of trying to take charge of Jesus and trying to control our lives, using all our strength determination and drive for what we want, why not use all our strength, mind, hearts and determine to let Jesus take control? Desire to go after his will? Why not? Is it because we are so accustomed to our own lifestyles that we find it difficult to surrender, to let someone who we can’t see, feel or hear take control? This is a matter of Faith, first believing in the one whom God has sent and anyone who believes in the one God has sent believes in God also. Jesus is the one whom God the Father has sent, if we really believe in Him we will be guided by Him, we will allow him to take control, eventually we will even be able to see, feel and hear Him, and we will go to Him when we are tired with our heavy burdens. Jesus says, “come to me, all you who labour and are overburdened and I will give you rest. Shoulder my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Yes, my yoke is easy and burden light.”(Mt 11:28). Even when Jesus’ Will seems too difficult to do, He will make it easier for us, much easier. For instance, we can proclaim God’s Word all over the world without even leaving home at times, via the use of the internet. As time goes on remember that the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, and there is no excuse that we shouldn’t proclaim this, it does not have to be as grand as a sermon but simple as a chat with your neighbours. We must also remember that with everything we do we should always place our faith in Jesus, rely on Him in most trivial to the most difficult moments in your life. Faith Forever.

"And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us"

Today's commemorated feasts and saints

Apostle Timothy of the Seventy (96). Monk Martyr Anastasius the Persian (628). Monk Martyr Anastasii, Deacon, of the Kiev Caves (Near Caves�12th c.). Ven. Mak� of Zhabynsk, Wonderworker (1622). Martyrs Manuel, George, Peter, Leontius�Bishops; Sionius, Gabriel, John, Leontius, Parodus�Presbyters; and 377 companions in Bulgaria (ca. 817).

Ephesians 5:1-8

1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. 3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. 6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

Luke 14:1-11

1 And it came to pass, as he went into the house of one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the sabbath day, that they watched him. 2 And, behold, there was a certain man before him which had the dropsy. 3 And Jesus answering spake unto the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath day? 4 And they held their peace. And he took him, and healed him, and let him go; 5 And answered them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull him out on the sabbath day? 6 And they could not answer him again to these things. 7 And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them. 8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; 9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. 10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. 11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

Where is your Faith?

 

(John 6:5) "Looking up, Jesus saw the crowds approaching and said to Philip, ' Where can we buy some bread for these people to eat?'. He said this only to put Philip to the test; he himself knew exactly what he was going to do. " So many times in our lives we are constantly troubled with questions when in the mist of difficult moments, and like Philip, we too are being tested, our faith challenged , to see what or whom we rely on. Many of us place our dependency on all else except God, Jesus.

We trust financial institutions with our money, medical institutions with our health. We depend on governments to run our country, protective services to provide safety. We rely on schools to educate us, family and friends to comfort us. However, all these have failed us one way or another, at times we have either, lost our money to financial institutions hence the economic crisis the world is in, discovered that our health problems have not been solved either it is suppressed or a new one arises, we find that our governments are not running the country the way they are supposed to, just look at any country in the world there is always some 'political' problem, we find that crime is increasing everywhere, our schools are troubled, many dropouts and high failure rates and many families are broken.

Why? Because we fail to realize that our trust should be in Christ Jesus, Him and Him alone. In times of difficulty, we are often faced with questions just as Philip, but Jesus shows him and us that He is the answer, the Savior.

 

 

LET JESUS OPEN HIS WORD

Several times in the Gospels Jesus asks those who had spent years studying the Scriptures if they've never read a certain passage (see e.g. Mk 2:25; Mt 21:16, 42; 22:31). Jesus, of course, knew His hearers had indeed read those passages before. However, He also knew they had not grasped the full meaning of the passage, despite having possibly read it many times.

What about us? Like the Pharisees in today's passage, some of us have devoted years of our lives studying the Scriptures. Yet there are always deeper levels of meaning in the Word of God not yet open to us. Are we content with our current understanding of the Bible? Jesus longs to open our minds to the understanding of the Scriptures (see Lk 24:45), but we must desire understanding and wisdom. It's hard for Jesus to open if we don't bother to knock. Jesus says: "Knock, and it will be opened to you" (Mt 7:7).

Stay rooted in God's Word. Read and study it daily (Acts 17:11). Beg the Lord for an ever deeper desire to sit with Him and listen to His word (Lk 10:39). Whenever possible, read the daily Scriptures at Mass and at Eucharistic Adoration in the presence of Jesus, the Living Word (Heb 4:12), Who will unlock His word for you. May God's word be the joy and the happiness of your heart (Jer 15:16).


Prayer: Jesus, Living Word (Heb 4:12), reveal Your word ever more deeply to me this year. Impel me to share it with a world famished for hearing Your word (Am 8:11).