21 November, 2012
Wednesday of Week 33; Presentation of Mary
FIRST READING
Revelation 4:1-11
I, John, had a vision of an open door to heaven, and I heard the trumpetlike voice that had spoken to me before, saying, “Come up here and I will show you what must happen afterwards.” At once I was caught up in spirit. A throne was there in heaven, and on the throne sat one whose appearance sparkled like jasper and carnelian. Around the throne was a halo as brilliant as an emerald. Surrounding the throne I saw twenty-four other thrones on which twenty-four elders sat, dressed in white garments and with gold crowns on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. Seven flaming torches burned in front of the throne, which are the seven spirits of God. In front of the throne was something that resembled a sea of glass like crystal.
In the center and around the throne, there were four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back. The first creature resembled a lion, the second was like a calf, the third had a face like that of a man, and the fourth looked like an eagle in flight. The four living creatures, each of them with six wings, were covered with eyes inside and out. Day and night they do not stop exclaiming: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come.” Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before the one who sits on the throne and worship him, who lives forever and ever. They throw down their crowns before the throne, exclaiming:
“Worthy are you, Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things; because of your will they came to be and were created.”
RESPONSORIAL PSALM
Psalm 150:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6
R. (1b) Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Praise the LORD in his sanctuary, praise him in the firmament of his strength. Praise him for his mighty deeds, praise him for his sovereign majesty.
R. Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Praise him with the blast of the trumpet, praise him with lyre and harp, Praise him with timbrel and dance, praise him with strings and pipe.
R. Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Praise him with sounding cymbals, praise him with clanging cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD! Alleluia.
R. Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
ALLELUIA
See John 15:16
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I chose you from the world, to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
Luke 19:11-28
While people were listening to Jesus speak, he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the Kingdom of God would appear there immediately. So he said, “A nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return. He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’ His fellow citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to announce, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.’ But when he returned after obtaining the kingship, he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money, to learn what they had gained by trading. The first came forward and said, ‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’ He replied, ‘Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.’ Then the second came and reported, ‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’ And to this servant too he said, ‘You, take charge of five cities.’ Then the other servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief, for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding man; you take up what you did not lay down and you harvest what you did not plant.’ He said to him, ‘With your own words I shall condemn you, you wicked servant. You knew I was a demanding man, taking up what I did not lay down and harvesting what I did not plant; why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’ And to those standing by he said, ‘Take the gold coin from him and give it to the servant who has ten.’ But they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’ He replied, ‘I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king, bring them here and slay them before me.’”
After he had said this, he proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem.
REFLECTIONS:
How does God establish his kingdom here on the earth?
The Jews in Jesus' time had a heightened sense that the Messiah would appear
soon to usher in the kingdom of God's justice, love, and peace on the earth
(Isaiah 11:1-9). Jesus, in fact, spoke in messianic terms of the coming
reign of God. Perhaps his entry into Jerusalem would bring about such a
change and overthrow of Roman domination. Jesus speaks to their longing
for a new kingdom in the parable of a nobleman who went away to receive
a kingdom. The parable reveals something important about how God works
his plan and purpose with the human race. The parable speaks first of the
king's trust in his subjects. While he goes away he leaves them with his
money to use as they think best. While there were no strings attached,
this was obviously a test to see if the king's subjects would be faithful
and reliable in their use of the money entrusted to them. Third, the king
rewards those who are faithful and he punishes those who sit by idly and
who do nothing with his money.
The Lord Jesus offers us a kingdom of justice, love, and peace and he
calls us to live as citizens of this kingdom where he rules as Lord and
Master. Through his atoning death on the cross and through his resurrection
victory, Jesus frees us from a kingdom of darkness where sin and Satan
reign. Through the power of the Holy Spirit the Lord gives us freedom to
live as his servants and to lay down our lives in loving service of our
neighbors (Galatians 5:1,13). The Lord entrusts us with his gifts and graces
and he gives us freedom to use them as we think best. With each gift and
talent, the Lord gives sufficient grace and strength for using them in
a fitting way. As the parable of the talents shows, God abhors indifference
and an attitude that says it's not
worth trying. God honors those who use their talents and gifts
for doing good. Those who are faithful with even a little are entrusted
with more! But those who neglect or squander what God has entrusted to
them will lose what they have. There is an important lesson here for us.
No one can stand still for long in the Christian life. We either get more
or we lose what we have. We either advance towards God or we slip back.
Do you trust in God's grace to make good use of the gifts and talents he
has given you?
"Lord Jesus, be the ruler of my heart and mind and the master of my
home and goods. Fill me with a generous and wise spirit that I may use
the gifts, talents, time, and resources you give me for your glory and
your kingdom."
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