The WORD today reminds me that we should grow whatever God has given us.
Growth usually takes time. Back in grade school, one of the usual science project is to grow mongo seeds. Students are asked to plant mongo seeds in cups or pots and take care of them and make them grow. This is one of the faster growing plant, but still it takes time and causes one to be impatient. However, when one sees leaves sprouting, it gets one excited and rewarded for all the effort done to make the seed grow.
This is what God wants us to do with all he has given us.
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.’
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.’
God gave us different gifts – Time, talent and treasure, that we should not compare with others, instead, use to grow. Our gifts will not grow and be preserved if we do not use it. We should be generous and not reserve it for special occasions, for if unused, God may take it away from us and give it to those who are using what they have. No matter how little or simple or normal our talents may be, as long as we use it, God would be pleased, and God would make it grow.
God wants us to use and grow whatever he gave us.
God is a generous God, and he wants his children to experience his love, blessings and care. However, we should not just be contented in experiencing it. We should also be willing to share it with others. We should also be willing to be used by God to touch other people’s lives, and one way we can do that is to use whatever he has given us for the benefit of others.
Earthly blessings are simple gifts God wants to test us with.
If we can handle earthly, temporary gifts, then we show him that we know what is important, that we do not hold on to temporary things. Then God can give us heavenly gifts we can enjoy with him in his kingdom.
As I always say, we may not have a lot but we have what we need to survive. We should not look at others for whatever reason. We should just have enough desire to help and act on that desire. We can help. And we should. It is a way of growing what God gave us - that instead of only us and our family who would benefit from his blessings, we share it with others who need it and who cannot repay us. We remind other people of God’s goodness and blessings, especially during this pandemic and amidst all the typhoons and disasters. That is a very fruitful way of growing what God has given us, no matter how small we have.
May we be ready and willing to share our time, talent and treasure as we build God’s kingdom here on earth.
Father God,
Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to experience your love. Thank you for all the blessings you have given me. Lord, sorry for the times I take your blessings for granted. And sorry for the times I do not use and share what you have given me. Sorry for not exerting effort to grow and share my blessings. Lord, I pray that I may always be generous and share whatever you have given me. May I not keep these things to myself, but be ready and willing to share all your goodness to others, so they too may experience you more. As I do this, I know you will continue to bless me, not because I am doing a good job, but because you want me to share more blessings to others. Amen.
Blessed Day!
In Christ,
-g-
November 18, 2020
Wednesday of Week 33; St. Rose Philippine Duchesne
FIRST READING
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.”
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
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!
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
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I chose you from the world, to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I chose you from the world, to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
GOSPEL
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.
After he had said this, he proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem.
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