Liturgical Readings for : Sunday, 19th November, 2023
Thirty -Third Sunday of Ordinary Time
World Day of the Poor
The emphasis in the readings today is on fidelity and on dedication to duty and work. It is more blessed to give: talents and gifts are given for service of the community. The Christian is to be fully dedicated to working in the service of others while watching and waiting for the life to come. There is always so much good to be done for others and so little time in which to do it.
FIRST READING
A reading from the book of Proverbs 31:10-13. 19-20. 30-31
A perfect wife-who can find her?
A perfect wife-who can find her? She is far beyond the price of pearls.
Her husband’s heart has confidence in her, from her he will derive no little profit.
Advantage and not hurt she brings him all the days of her life.
She is always busy with wool and with flax, she does her work with eager hands.
She sets her hands to the distaff, her fingers grasp the spindle.
She holds out her hand to the poor, she opens her arms to the needy.
Charm is deceitful, and beauty empty; the woman who is wise is the one to praise
Give her a share in what her hands have worked for,
and let her works tell her praises at the city gates.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God
Responsorial Psalm Ps 127: 1-5. Rv:1
Response O blessed are those who fear the Lord.
1. O blessed are those who fear the Lord and walk in his ways!
By the labour of your hands you shall eat. You will be happy and prosper. Response
2. Your wife like a fruitful vine in the heart of your house;
your children like shoots of the olive, around your table. Response
3. Indeed thus shall be blessed the man who fears the Lord.
May the Lord bless you from Zion in a happy Jerusalem
all the days of your life. Response
SECOND READING
A reading from the first letter of St Paul to the Thessalonians 5:1-6
The Day of the Lord is going to come like a thief in the night.
You will not be expecting us to write anything to you, brothers, about ‘times and seasons’, since you know very well that the Day of the Lord is going to come like a thief in the night. It is when people are saying, ‘How quiet and peaceful it is’ that the worst suddenly happens, as suddenly as labour pains come on a pregnant woman; and there will be no way for anybody to evade it. But it is not as if you live in the dark, my brothers, for that Day to overtake you like a thief. No, you are all sons of light and sons of the day: we do not belong to the night or to darkness, so we should not go on sleeping, as everyone else does, but stay wide awake and sober.
The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Gospel Acclamation Apoc 2: 10
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Even if you have to die, says the Lord, keep faithful, and I will give you the crown of life
Alleluia!
Or Jn 15:4-5
Alleluia, Alleluia!
Make your home in me, as I make mine in you, says the Lord
Whoever remains in me, with me bears fruit in plenty
Alleluia!
GOSPEL
The Lord be with you And with your spirit.
A reading from the Gospel according to Matthew 25:14-30 Glory to you, O Lord
You have shown you can be faithful in small things, come and join in your master’s happiness.
Jesus spoke this parable to his disciples:
“ The kingdom of heaven is like a man on his way abroad who summoned his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to a third is one; each in proportion to his ability. Then he set out.
The man who had received the five talents promptly went and traded with them and made five more.
The man who had received two made two more in the same way.
But the man who had received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
Now a long time after, the master of those servants came back and went through his accounts with them.
The man who had received the five talents came forward bringing five more. “Sir,” he said “you entrusted me with five talents; here are five more that I have made.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have shown you can be faithful in small things, I will trust you with greater; come and join in your master’s happiness”.
Next the man with the two talents came forward. “Sir,” he said “you entrusted me with two talents; here are two more that I have made.” His master said to him,
“Well done, good and faithful servant; you have shown you can be faithful in small things, I will trust you with greater; come and join in your master’s happiness”.
Last came forward the man who had the one talent. “Sir,” said he “I had heard you were a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered; so I was afraid, and I went off and hid your talent in the ground. Here it is; it was yours, you have it back.”
But his master answered him, “You wicked and lazy servant! So you knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered? Well then, you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have recovered my capital with interest. So now, take the talent from him and give it to the man who has the five talents. For to everyone who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough; but from the man who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
As for this good-for-nothing servant, throw him out into the dark, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.“
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
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Shorter form
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew 25:14-15.19-20
You have shown you can be faithful in small things, come and join in your master’s happiness.
Jesus spoke this parable to his disciples:
“ The kingdom of heaven is like a man on his way abroad who summoned his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to a third is one; each in proportion to his ability. Then he set out. The man who had received the five talents promptly went and traded with them and made five more. The man who had received two made two more in the same way. But the man who had received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now a long time after, the master of those servants came back and went through his accounts with them.
The man who had received the five talents came forward bringing five more. “Sir,” he said “you entrusted me with five talents; here are five more that I have made.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have shown you can be faithful in small things, I will trust you with greater; come and join in your master’s happiness”.
The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Gospel Reflection
What type of people are we? Would we describe ourselves as predominantly adventurous or overly cautious? How creative are we with the talents that God has given us? These are relevant questions to ask when determining whether or not we use and develop God’s many and varied gifts.
The parable of the talents has universal application. It is a parable for all people and for all times. It teaches us much about human nature and the numerous types of people in our world and in our Church. In particular, it invites us to reach our full human potential by using creatively the gifts with which God has blessed us.
Our various talents are an expression of God’s love for us as, indeed, is life itself, which is the greatest of all God’s gifts. As expressions of God’s love, our talents are not intended to be hidden or to remain unused. Rather, they are meant to be developed by us as a sign that we appreciate God’s love and blessing.
God does not give us talents just for ourselves. Our strengths and talents are best used for the good of other people and for the good of the Church. This is how we honour and glorify God. Unfortunately, many of us may hide our talents or, even worse, we may waste them by using them in useless and often sinful ways.
For example, we may know that we are effective communicators. Yet we choose not to use our gift of communication to convey the teachings of the gospel and the Church because we do not want to be unpopular. We prefer to remain undisturbed. Nevertheless, if we took a risk and communicated the truth we might bring another person consolation and happiness. Ultimately we might be God’s instrument in guiding that person to salvation.
Similarly, we may have been blessed with gifts of listening and patience. But if we do not use these talents to bring peace and harmony to troubled relationships around us, we are wasting God’s wonderful gifts.
Occasionally, we think that other people are more talented than we are and we envy them. Or we observe people ignoring and wasting their obvious strengths and talents — strengths and talents that we do not have — and we are moved to self-pity. We always remember, however, that God has blessed each one of us with a unique combination of gifts and talents that he expects us to use and develop. These talents vary considerably and we do not all receive the same gifts and strengths, either in kind or in abundance.
The invitation is to trust God by using and developing our talents and strengths to the best of our ability. Thus our personal talents complement the talents that other people lack and we enable them to share with us the strengths that we lack. In effect, by refusing to be creative and generous, we cause our talents to die. By using them well we demonstrate that we are faithful and trustworthy.
What type of people are we? Do we use our talents creatively or do we hide them? The challenge of the parable of the talents is to recognise our God-given talents and strengths so that we can use and develop them as we help to build the kingdom of
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