The Holy Spirit

Today’s Gospel Text: "For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property; 15 to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more. 17 So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.' 21 His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.' 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.' 23 His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.' 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow; 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' 26 But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.' Matt 25:14-30

Reflection: Ability is the quality of being able to do something, especially the physical, mental, financial, or legal power to accomplish something; hence it is said, “each according to ones ability.”

How foolish it is when sometimes people use the term talent interchangeably with ability. The Scripture tells us that the master assigned the talents each according to one’s ability: “…. to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability.” (vs. 15)

What could this talent be that the master assigned to his servants?

The preceding verse reveals to us that the talent was the personal property of the master: "For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property.” (vs. 14)

There is no doubt that the parable opens up to us, in all wisdom, the things of the kingdom of God and the insights thereof.

Hence, if the master is offering us his personal property and we were to apply this to the Kingdom of God, then we can rightly ask; what is that personal property which God wants to entrust to his servants, if it is not his Holy Spirit.

Hence, St. Paul in scriptures says; 

 “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.” 1 Cor 12:7-11

  

What then is Apol'los? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 1 Cor 3:5

    

But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. Eph 4:7 (for further reading: Eph. 4: 11-16)

    

Finally when the Lord will judge, each one accordingly: “… all the churches shall know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you as your works deserve.” Rev 2:23

Prayer: Lord, you have entrusted to me your talents at Baptism, help me not to quench your Holy Spirit nor bury him, but instead seek to be his instrument for the common good.”

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

The Struggle

Today’s Gospel Text: "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 But at midnight there was a cry, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' 7 Then all those maidens rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the wise replied, 'Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.' 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other maidens came also, saying, 'Lord, lord, open to us.' 12 But he replied, 'Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.' 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. Matt 25:1-13

Reflection:  How often we sit to pray and fall asleep? We could be criticized for it or we ourselves could wake up with guilt for not having spent quality time in prayer.

Similar could be our guilt in our fight against the temptations of daily life and we could suddenly find ourselves fallen from grace and end up with guilt and shame, sometimes depending on the public embarrassment it can bring us.

There is difference between a person deliberately walking in sin and the one’s struggling to overcome the daily temptation of life.

The parable tells us that we could be caught napping, but there could be hope for the struggler, because they, like the wise virgins, could be carrying some oil in their lamps through all their years of sincere struggle, so as to enable them to enter the bridegrooms presence.

A man who has struggled at the waters to swim, may fail many times but has a better hope if in troubled waters than a man who has never taken advantage of an opportunity that has come their way.

Oil is the outcome of the great effort due to the crushing of the seed. Likewise, each one has to be crushed in the oil press of the Lord and need to have enough of the oil, through their sincere struggle than the no struggle of a miserable sinner or a self-righteous man.

                                                                                                                        

Prayer: Lead me Lord, not into temptation but deliver me from every evil, each day as I labor in your holy presence and seek to do your will.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Are you Watching?

Today’s Gospel Text: Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. 43 But know this, that if the householder had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect. 45 "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is that servant whom his master when he comes will find so doing. 47 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed,' 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eats and drinks with the drunken, 50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, 51 and will punish him, and put him with the hypocrites; there men will weep and gnash their teeth. Matt 24:42-51

Reflection: Many centuries have passed since this has been recorded in the scriptures about the immediate coming of the Lord.

Are we being fooled by this word of scripture generation after generation, only to find that the Lord is never coming.

Shall we say; what a pity, countless number of people follow this Lord who has fooled them into believing his imminent coming and he has not come.

If we can say further; why do the preachers preach on this subject and what message do they preach?

If one reads the key message in this statement, then the most important point that Jesus communicates is that of always being ready and never lagging behind to receive the Lord.

Whether the Lord’s coming is imminent or not is not the primary message, the primary message is that the Christian life is to be lived in every possible way in all alertness, as if he is coming now.

In the process he has invited us not to focus on the enemy who is never coming, because the enemy is always there.  

Which would be better?

• The Lord warning his disciples to be always alert and watchful, because the enemy, Satan and all his minions are in and around you to devour you completely, so stay alert in my presence, watch and pray.                                                          

                                                                             OR 

• Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the householder had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have watched and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready; for the Son of man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (vss. 42-44)

The early Christians, who showed much zeal, always learnt to wait on the Lord. They waited especially in vigil for the Lord's coming on a saturday evening to await his coming. 

Prayer: Lord, may I always be found watching in prayer, each day and every moment.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us