God's Word for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

You entrusted me with five talents, here are five more that I have made.

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time A.

Prov. 31: 10-13, 19-20. 30-31, Psalm127: 1-5. Rv.1, 1 Thess. 5; 1-6,

The woman who is wise is the one to praise.

May the Lord bless you from Zion all the days of your life.

You are all children of the light and children of the day. 

Gospel Mt 25:14-30

Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"A man going on a journey
called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.
To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one--
to each according to his ability.
Then he went away.
Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them,
and made another five.
Likewise, the one who received two made another two.
But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground
and buried his master's money.

After a long time
the master of those servants came back
and settled accounts with them.
The one who had received five talents came forward
bringing the additional five.
He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents.
See, I have made five more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.'
Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said,
'Master, you gave me two talents.
See, I have made two more.'
His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.'
Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said,
'Master, I knew you were a demanding person,
harvesting where you did not plant
and gathering where you did not scatter;
so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground.
Here it is back.'
His master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant!
So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant
and gather where I did not scatter?
Should you not then have put my money in the bank
so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?
Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten.
For to everyone who has,
more will be given and he will grow rich;
but from the one who has not,
even what he has will be taken away.
And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'"

 Life – yours or his?

            This is a parable about life. Like the man who went abroad, God doesn’t appear to be present. However he has given us all talents and he has left us to use them. We can also like the third man bury them. God hasn’t told us what to do or how to do it. That is left to us. We are free to follow our own ideas. However whatever we do we are to do for Him.

            This is the point of the parable. God has given us all gifts and charisms. There is any number of all different kinds. He apparently goes away and leaves us to it.

            We should always remember that we belong to God. Everything we have and are is his gift to us. “If we live, it is for the Lord that we live and if we die it is for the Lord that we die”. ‘Whatever you do, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ”. There is no difference between people ‘with a vocation’ and people ‘without a vocation’. We all have a vocation. God has given us a life. We are to live it for him. Whatever we do we are to do it for Christ. If we get married, it is for Christ and to achieve glory for him. If we do a particular job, it is for Christ and to bring glory for him.

As the man in the parable didn’t tell the servants what to do, neither does God tell us. But as the man in the parable expected the servants to use the talents to earn money for him, so God expects us to use all our talents for his purpose in the world.   By our life and life-style we must bring glory to God. Whatever walk of life we decide to follow we are to follow it and live it for the sake of Jesus.

            Here we diverge from the parable. Jesus is only apparently absent. He has not left us orphans. He has given us his Spirit as our Helper. He is always with us to inspire, guide and lead us into the whole truth. We should follow his guidance in using our gifts. Then the whole of life with all its diversity is the fulfilment of our vocation. God wants us to have fellowship with the Holy Spirit and to live our lives with creativity.

            When Christians live their lives like this they sanctify every corner of the world and make Christ Jesus present. Since they do everything for him under the guidance of the Holy Spirit Jesus is at work bringing salvation to the world.

            Do you see your life as a life in the Spirit to bring glory to Jesus? Do you see your life as a special vocation or for you to do your own thing?

Father, may I see myself as the ambassador of Jesus wherever I go and whatever I do.

God's Word for the weekdays from 7th November

Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it,
but whoever loses it will save it.

Friday

Please scroll down to find the day you want.

Tuesday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time

November 8th 2011

 Reading 1 Wis 2:23:3:9
God formed man to be imperishable;
the image of his own nature he made them.
But by the envy of the Devil, death entered the world,
and they who are in his possession experience it.

But the souls of the just are in the hand of God,
and no torment shall touch them.
They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead;
and their passing away was thought an affliction
and their going forth from us, utter destruction.
But they are in peace.
For if before men, indeed, they be punished,
yet is their hope full of immortality;
Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed,
because God tried them
and found them worthy of himself.
As gold in the furnace, he proved them,
and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.
In the time of their visitation they shall shine,
and shall dart about as sparks through stubble;
They shall judge nations and rule over peoples,
and the Lord shall be their King forever.
Those who trust in him shall understand truth,
and the faithful shall abide with him in love:
Because grace and mercy are with his holy ones,
and his care is with his elect.

God conceived us in his heart out of love and there is no way that he intended that we would suffer. Suffering and death came into the world but they are not God’s intention for us. In some way they are the result of mankind’s rebellion and sin. Nonetheless those who live according to their consciences will receive the blessings of God and experience eternal life. We shouldn’t think of this as simply ‘a truth of faith’ but as something we are to experience. This passage is about you and me. By our choices now let us make the intention of God a reality in our lives. Wisdom, first gift of the Spirit of God, brings many rewards. 

Responsorial Psalm Ps 34:2-3, 16-17, 18-19

R. (2a) I will bless the Lord at all times.
I will bless the LORD at all times;
his praise shall be ever in my mouth.
Let my soul glory in the LORD;
the lowly will hear me and be glad.
R. I will bless the Lord at all times.
The LORD has eyes for the just,
and ears for their cry.
The LORD confronts the evildoers,
to destroy remembrance of them from the earth.
R. I will bless the Lord at all times.
When the just cry out, the LORD hears them,
and from all their distress he rescues them.
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted;
and those who are crushed in spirit he saves.
R. I will bless the Lord at all times.

Gospel Lk 17:7-10

Jesus said to the Apostles:
"Who among you would say to your servant
who has just come in from ploughing or tending sheep in the field,
"Come here immediately and take your place at table?"
Would he not rather say to him,
"Prepare something for me to eat.
Put on your apron and wait on me while I eat and drink.
You may eat and drink when I am finished?"
Is he grateful to that servant because he did what was commanded?
So should it be with you.
When you have done all you have been commanded, say,
"We are unprofitable servants;
we have done what we were obliged to do."

Jesus is speaking when slaves had no rights. They were to work without any reward. We are to work for God but we are not to feel that God owes us his thanks. No slave belongs to his master but we do belong to God since all we have has been given to us by him. We should work out of love and gratitude. True, God will  bless us for the work we do. On another occasion Jesus says that if the Son of Man finds his servants awake when he comes he will sit them down at table and wait on them. (12:37). We must always remember that God owes us nothing even when we do all that is demanded of us. We exist because he loved us. We live because he is merciful to us. Are you grateful to be allowed to work for God?

Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica in Rome
November 9th 2011

Reading 1 Ez 47:1-2, 8-9, 12

The angel brought me
back to the entrance of the temple,
and I saw water flowing out
from beneath the threshold of the temple toward the east,
for the façade of the temple was toward the east;
the water flowed down from the southern side of the temple,
south of the altar.
He led me outside by the north gate,
and around to the outer gate facing the east,
where I saw water trickling from the southern side.
He said to me,
"This water flows into the eastern district down upon the Arabah,
and empties into the sea, the salt waters, which it makes fresh.
Wherever the river flows,
every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live,
and there shall be abundant fish,
for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh.
Along both banks of the river, fruit trees of every kind shall grow;
their leaves shall not fade, nor their fruit fail.
Every month they shall bear fresh fruit,
for they shall be watered by the flow from the sanctuary.
Their fruit shall serve for food, and their leaves for medicine."

This river represents the blessing of God flowing from the Temple. This will find its fulfilment in the grace of Christ which is the Holy Spirit source of all the blessings of God. Those who believe in Christ are given the gift of the Holy Spirit as the Paraclete – the One we can call on at any moment and for any need and he will be there to help us abundantly. Would that we had the faith to live in the Holy Spirit and be filled with the fruits of his presence. He would transform our lives.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9

R. (5) The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
God is our refuge and our strength,
an ever-present help in distress.
Therefore, we fear not, though the earth be shaken
and mountains plunge into the depths of the sea.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
There is a stream whose runlets gladden the city of God,
the holy dwelling of the Most High.
God is in its midst; it shall not be disturbed;
God will help it at the break of dawn.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!
The LORD of hosts is with us;
our stronghold is the God of Jacob.
Come! behold the deeds of the LORD,
the astounding things he has wrought on earth.
R. The waters of the river gladden the city of God, the holy dwelling of the Most High!

Reading 2 1 Cor 3:9c-11, 16-17

Brothers and sisters:
You are God's building.
According to the grace of God given to me,
like a wise master builder I laid a foundation,
and another is building upon it.
But each one must be careful how he builds upon it,
for no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there,
namely, Jesus Christ.

Do you not know that you are the temple of God,
and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If anyone destroys God's temple,
God will destroy that person;
for the temple of God, which you are, is holy.

The community of believers is the family of God and he lives in them and with them. We should make this a reality through fostering the unity of the Spirit in love. To cause divisions in the community is to destroy God’s temple. To work for fellowship and unity in the community is to build the temple of God and be heirs of God’s blessing.

Gospel Jn 2:13-22

Since the Passover of the Jews was near,
Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
He found in the temple area those who sold oxen, sheep, and doves,
as well as the money-changers seated there.
He made a whip out of cords
and drove them all out of the temple area, with the sheep and oxen,
and spilled the coins of the money-changers
and overturned their tables,
and to those who sold doves he said,
"Take these out of here,
and stop making my Father's house a marketplace."
His disciples recalled the words of Scripture,
Zeal for your house will consume me.
At this the Jews answered and said to him,
"What sign can you show us for doing this?"
Jesus answered and said to them,
"Destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up."
The Jews said,
"This temple has been under construction for forty-six years,
and you will raise it up in three days?"
But he was speaking about the temple of his Body.
Therefore, when he was raised from the dead,
his disciples remembered that he had said this,

and they came to believe the Scripture
and the word Jesus had spoken.

If Jesus were to come into the Temple today, namely into the Church, into our parishes and communities, what would be his reaction? What would he need to sweep away? If he were to come into the Temple which you and I are, what would he be dissatisfied with and need to cleanse? Would it be love of money, an immersion in the things of this world, not for him but for ourselves? – A love of power, prestige, the pleasures of this world? Let us open the doors of our ‘temple’ and invite him to see us as we are. Do we believe in Jesus? Of course we believe he is the Messiah and Son of God, but is our faith a personal commitment to Jesus? Is our life guided by his Word? Do we worship in Spirit and in Truth or is it routine? What is your answer?

Thursday November 10, 2011

Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, pope and doctor of the Church

Reading 1 Wis 7:22b-8:1

In Wisdom is a spirit
intelligent, holy, unique,
Manifold, subtle, agile,
clear, unstained, certain,
Not baneful, loving the good, keen,
unhampered, beneficent, kindly,
Firm, secure, tranquil,
all-powerful, all-seeing,
And pervading all spirits,
though they be intelligent, pure and very subtle.
For Wisdom is mobile beyond all motion,
and she penetrates and pervades all things by reason of her purity.
For she is an aura of the might of God
and a pure effusion of the glory of the Almighty;
therefore nought that is sullied enters into her.
For she is the refulgence of eternal light,
the spotless mirror of the power of God,
the image of his goodness.
And she, who is one, can do all things,
and renews everything while herself enduring;
And passing into holy souls from age to age,
she produces friends of God and prophets.
For there is nought God loves, be it not one who dwells with Wisdom.
For she is fairer than the sun
and surpasses every constellation of the stars.
Compared to light, she takes precedence;
for that, indeed, night supplants,
but wickedness prevails not over Wisdom.

Indeed, she reaches from end to end mightily
and governs all things well.

To have wisdom is to see the world and human life with the eyes of God. This is to be wise. However in this passage the author personifies wisdom and this makes it difficult for modern people to understand. Paul calls Jesus the wisdom of God (1 Cor1:24,30) and if we substitute the word Jesus Christ for Wisdom then the whole passage makes great sense for us. When Jesus lives in us and we have his mind (Phil 2:6) then we share in Wisdom.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 119:89, 90, 91, 130, 135, 175

R. (89a) Your word is for ever, O Lord.
Your word, O LORD, endures forever;
it is firm as the heavens.
R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.
Through all generations your truth endures;
you have established the earth, and it stands firm.
R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.
According to your ordinances they still stand firm:
all things serve you.
R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.
The revelation of your words sheds light,
giving understanding to the simple.
R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.
Let your countenance shine upon your servant,
and teach me your statutes.
R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.
Let my soul live to praise you,
and may your ordinances help me.
R. Your word is for ever, O Lord.

Gospel Lk 17:20-25

Asked by the Pharisees when the Kingdom of God would come,
Jesus said in reply,
"The coming of the Kingdom of God cannot be observed,
and no one will announce, "Look, here it is," or, "There it is."
For behold, the Kingdom of God is among you."

Then he said to his disciples,
"The days will come when you will long to see
one of the days of the Son of Man, but you will not see it.
There will be those who will say to you,
"Look, there he is," or "Look, here he is."
Do not go off, do not run in pursuit.
For just as lightning flashes
and lights up the sky from one side to the other,
so will the Son of Man be in his day.
But first he must suffer greatly and be rejected by this generation."

There is no dichotomy between this life and eternal life. We already have or do not have eternal life. The Kingdom of God is not a place but a Person. “This is eternal life, to know you and to know the Christ whom you have sent: (John 17). To know, love and obey Jesus is to enter into eternal life and the Kingdom of God. To meet Jesus we must enter into ourselves, not go searching elsewhere. We have to learn to pray in the conscious presence of Jesus. But when Jesus does come again in glory there will be no mistake, just as there isn’t with the lightning which lights up the whole sky. But before his glorification Jesus had to suffer. Suffering is part of human life Jesus responded to suffering with loving fidelity and trust. How do you respond? Do you know your Father loves and cares?    

Memorial of Saint Martin of Tours, bishop 

Friday November 11th 2011
Reading 1 Wis 13:1-9

All men were by nature foolish who were in ignorance of God,
and who from the good things seen did not succeed in knowing him who is,
and from studying the works did not discern the artisan;
But either fire, or wind, or the swift air,
or the circuit of the stars, or the mighty water,
or the luminaries of heaven, the governors of the world, they considered gods.
Now if out of joy in their beauty they thought them gods,
let them know how far more excellent is the Lord than these;
for the original source of beauty fashioned them.
Or if they were struck by their might and energy,
let them from these things realize how much more powerful is he who made them.
For from the greatness and the beauty of created things
their original author, by analogy, is seen.
But yet, for these the blame is less;
For they indeed have gone astray perhaps,
though they seek God and wish to find him.
For they search busily among his works,
but are distracted by what they see, because the things seen are fair.
But again, not even these are pardonable.
For if they so far succeeded in knowledge
that they could speculate about the world,
how did they not more quickly find its Lord?

We have gone beyond the worship of the sun and moon but have we gone beyond idolatry? We now have different gods – money, wealth and possessions, the ‘good life’. These are summed up in the word the love for money which Paul calls idolatry. Many who claim to be religious try to serve both God and Mammon, something which the Lord says is impossible.

 Responsorial Psalm Ps 19:2-3, 4-5ab
R. (2a) The heavens proclaim the glory of God.The heavens declare the glory of God,
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
Day pours out the word to day,
and night to night imparts knowledge.
R. The heavens proclaim the glory of God.
Not a word nor a discourse
whose voice is not heard;
Through all the earth their voice resounds,
and to the ends of the world, their message.
R. The heavens proclaim the glory of God.

Gospel Lk 17:26-37

Jesus said to his disciples:
"As it was in the days of Noah,
so it will be in the days of the Son of Man;
they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage up to the day
that Noah entered the ark,
and the flood came and destroyed them all.
Similarly, as it was in the days of Lot:
they were eating, drinking, buying,
selling, planting, building;
on the day when Lot left Sodom,
fire and brimstone rained from the sky to destroy them all.
So it will be on the day the Son of Man is revealed.
On that day, someone who is on the housetop
and whose belongings are in the house
must not go down to get them,
and likewise one in the field
must not return to what was left behind.
Remember the wife of Lot.
Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it,
but whoever loses it will save it.
I tell you, on that night there will be two people in one bed;
one will be taken, the other left.
And there will be two women grinding meal together;
one will be taken, the other left."
They said to him in reply, "Where, Lord?"
He said to them, "Where the body is,
there also the vultures will gather."

Be ready is the watchword. But if we now are in love with Jesus we will always be ready, waiting and longing for his coming in whatever form. There is only one thing to do and that is to love Jesus. Though living in this world we should not become engrossed in it. We are only passing through. Longing for his coming we will constantly prepare for his arrival. If our love grows cold then we can become like the people in Noah’s day and be unaware and unconcerned about his coming. Both Lot and Noah were prepared for the impending catastrophe. Jesus’ coming should not be a catastrophe but a joyous event. Whether it is or not depends on us. Jesus is coming. We should be looking forward not backwards. We are all engaged in the world but some will be ready and others not. Are you ready now?

Saturday November 12, 2011

Memorial of Saint Josaphat, bishop and martyr

Reading 1 Wis 18:14-16; 19:6-9

When peaceful stillness compassed everything
and the night in its swift course was half spent,
Your all-powerful word, from heaven's royal throne
bounded, a fierce warrior, into the doomed land,
bearing the sharp sword of your inexorable decree.
And as he alighted, he filled every place with death;
he still reached to heaven, while he stood upon the earth.

For all creation, in its several kinds, was being made over anew,
serving its natural laws,
that your children might be preserved unharmed.
The cloud overshadowed their camp;
and out of what had before been water, dry land was seen emerging:
Out of the Red Sea an unimpeded road,
and a grassy plain out of the mighty flood.
Over this crossed the whole nation sheltered by your hand,
after they beheld stupendous wonders.
For they ranged about like horses,
and bounded about like lambs,
praising you, O Lord! their deliverer.

This passage is used by the Church at Christmas. The Word of God, Christ, came down from heaven to live among us. He came to destroy evil and renew creation. Behold I am making all things new. (Rev 21:5). I am part and parcel of the universe and the Word of God must come into my life, the otherwise 'doomed land'. The Word must be become incarnate in our lives.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 105:2-3, 36-37, 42-43

R. (5a) Remember the marvels the Lord has done!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Sing to him, sing his praise,
proclaim all his wondrous deeds.
Glory in his holy name;
rejoice, O hearts that seek the LORD!
R. Remember the marvels the Lord has done!
or:
R. Alleluia.
Then he struck every first born throughout their land,
the first fruits of all their manhood.
And he led them forth laden with silver and gold,
with not a weakling among their tribes.
R. Remember the marvels the Lord has done!
or:
R. Alleluia.
For he remembered his holy word
to his servant Abraham.
And he led forth his people with joy;
with shouts of joy, his chosen ones.
R. Remember the marvels the Lord has done!
or:
R. Alleluia.

Gospel Lk 18:1-8

Jesus told his disciples a parable
about the necessity for them to pray always without becoming weary.
He said, "There was a judge in a certain town
who neither feared God nor respected any human being.
And a widow in that town used to come to him and say,
"Render a just decision for me against my adversary."
For a long time the judge was unwilling, but eventually he thought,
"While it is true that I neither fear God nor respect any human being,
because this widow keeps bothering me
I shall deliver a just decision for her
lest she finally come and strike me.""
The Lord said, "Pay attention to what the dishonest judge says.
Will not God then secure the rights of his chosen ones
who call out to him day and night?
Will he be slow to answer them?
I tell you, he will see to it that justice is done for them speedily.
But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?"

The widow represents us. She is helpless now after the death of her husband. Furthermore someone has done her an injustice and she claims a decision against her enemy. The judge for some reason ignores her. She has no other resource. We too are faced with enemies. “Satan prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour”. He has his allies in the world: persecutors, the world’s enticements, our own temptations and lusts. We are also born with weakness and spiritual deformity through original sin. There is no hope for us unless the Saviour takes our part. Eventually the unjust judge gave in under her persistence.   We need to pray constantly. He answers our prayer but sometimes apparently waits. Without prayer faith dies. Yet faith gives rise to prayer. When Jesus comes to you, will he find a person of faith and prayer or someone who gave up?

November 7, 2011

Monday of the Thirty-Second Week in Ordinary Time Reading 1 Wis 1:1-7

Love justice, you who judge the earth;
think of the Lord in goodness,
and seek him in integrity of heart;
Because he is found by those who test him not,
and he manifests himself to those who do not disbelieve him.
For perverse counsels separate a man from God,
and his power, put to the proof, rebukes the foolhardy;
Because into a soul that plots evil, wisdom enters not,
nor dwells she in a body under debt of sin.
For the holy Spirit of discipline flees deceit
and withdraws from senseless counsels;
and when injustice occurs it is rebuked.
For wisdom is a kindly spirit,
yet she acquits not the blasphemer of his guilty lips;
Because God is the witness of his inmost self
and the sure observer of his heart
and the listener to his tongue.
For the Spirit of the Lord fills the world,
is all-embracing, and knows what man says.

Human beings live with so many illusions. One of them is of greatness. God knows us through and through. Let us consider what we are before him and what we are in ourselves. We are great and can do so much good on earth but this is all a gift to us. Of ourselves we are nothing and have come from nothing. We need to humbly be grateful to our Creator for everything we have and are. A sincere reverence for God and a seeking for his will is the goal of human life. How many people are truly only interested in the truth? Only those who sincerely seek God will find him. We are to abandon everything in our search for the Truth about life and about ourselves. Sincerity, honesty in our dealings with others and giving to them what is rightfully theirs are the prerequisites for us to find God.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 139:1b-3, 4-6, 7-8, 9-10

R. (24b) Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
O LORD, you have probed me and you know me;
you know when I sit and when I stand;
you understand my thoughts from afar.
My journeys and my rest you scrutinize,
with all my ways you are familiar.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Even before a word is on my tongue,
behold, O LORD, you know the whole of it.
Behind me and before, you hem me in
and rest your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
too lofty for me to attain.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
Where can I go from your spirit?
From your presence where can I flee?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I sink to the nether world, you are present there.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.
If I take the wings of the dawn,
if I settle at the farthest limits of the sea,
Even there your hand shall guide me,
and your right hand hold me fast.
R. Guide me, Lord, along the everlasting way.

Gospel Lk 17:1-6

Jesus said to his disciples,
"Things that cause sin will inevitably occur,
but woe to the one through whom they occur.
It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck
and he be thrown into the sea
than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.
Be on your guard!
If your brother sins, rebuke him;
and if he repents, forgive him.
And if he wrongs you seven times in one day
and returns to you seven times saying, "I am sorry,"
you should forgive him."

And the Apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."
The Lord replied, "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,
you would say to this mulberry tree,
'Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you."

How important is good example always and everywhere. It is through our relationships that we lead people for good or bad. We need a personal relationship of love with Jesus and a personal relationship of love with those in our care. We should be concerned for them and show our concern so that they realize our concern. Concern is not shown so much by words as by deeds and by listening and understanding their feelings without judging. True love puts no conditions. We may not approve of what they do, but they are still precious to us and we love them and so can forgive. On the contrary how harmful is bad example and the lack of love.  Let us take to heart the warning of Jesus in today’s Gospel. Do you cultivate loving relationships by which “these little ones” feel your love for them and also for Jesus?

God's Word for the 32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time

 The Bridegroom is here. Go out to meet him.

32nd Sunday in Ordinary Time A

Gospel Mt 25:1-13

Jesus told his disciples this parable:
"The kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins
who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
Five of them were foolish and five were wise.
The foolish ones, when taking their lamps,
brought no oil with them,
but the wise brought flasks of oil with their lamps.
Since the bridegroom was long delayed,
they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
At midnight, there was a cry,
'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!'
Then all those virgins got up and trimmed their lamps.
The foolish ones said to the wise,
'Give us some of your oil,
for our lamps are going out.'
But the wise ones replied,
'No, for there may not be enough for us and you.
Go instead to the merchants and buy some for yourselves.'
While they went off to buy it,
the bridegroom came
and those who were ready went into the wedding feast with him.
Then the door was locked.
Afterwards the other virgins came and said,
'Lord, Lord, open the door for us!'
But he said in reply,
'Amen, I say to you, I do not know you.'
Therefore, stay awake,
for you know neither the day nor the hour."

Wisdom 6:12-16, Psalm 62: 2-8. Rv.2. 1 Thess 4 13-17,

Watch for wisdom early and you will have no trouble; you will find her at your gate.

O God, you are my God, for you I long; for you my soul is thirsting.

We shall with the Lord forever.

The Bridegroom is here. Go out to meet him.

First Priority

So this is how it is going to be. There will be foolish people who haven’t bothered. They will be badly caught, but then it will be too late. On the other hand there will be those who take care now and it will stand them in good stead. The parable is all about the bridegroom. The bridegroom is Jesus. One thing is certain; the bridegroom, Jesus, is going to come. He may be early or he may be late. We have to be waiting for him when he comes. There is only one way to prepare. We should accept his invitation to become his friends (John 15:15)

When the Bridegroom arrives we must go out to meet him. If we haven’t bothered during our lifetime, if we have filled our life with trivialities such as making money, trying to have a good time, becoming a celebrity, gaining selfish political power etc. we may find that our lamps are going out and we have no oil with us. We won’t know Jesus, much less be his intimate friend. There will be no time to become his friend.  I can’t give my love for him to you, nor you yours to me. Each of us must ‘buy our own oil’.

However, if during our life we have had our priorities right, if we had seen that the most important, in fact the only,  thing in life is to get to know Jesus and to become his intimate friend then when he does at last come we will go out to meet a friend and it will be a joyful occasion. Our lamps will be burning brightly.

            Where is the bride in the story? Jesus is the bridegroom as announced in the book of Revelation 19:3 and his community is the bride. Those who long for the Bridegroom and prepare for his coming through persevering prayer and service will go out to welcome him and he will take them into the wedding feast. They will then discover that they are the bride.

            Religion is not a matter of traditions, rituals, hierarchies, prayers and practices. Our perfection in the externals has no value unless it is a sign of the love for Jesus in our hearts. True love shows itself externally in keeping his commandment of love.

            Now is the time to respond to the invitation of Jesus. I do not call you servants but friends because I have told you everything I have learned from my Father. (Jn. 15:15). I stand at the door and knock (Rev 3:20). Are you ready to seek for Jesus now and become his friend? Do you realize that you should make searching for Jesus your life work?

Father, give me the wisdom to get to know Jesus now that when he does come I may meet him as my friend.

God's Word for the weekdays from 31st October

  What is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God.

 Saturday

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Monday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time
October 31st 2011

Reading 1 Rom 11:29-36

Brothers and sisters:
The gifts and the call of God are irrevocable.

Just as you once disobeyed God
but have now received mercy
because of their disobedience,
so they have now disobeyed in order that,
by virtue of the mercy shown to you,
they too may now receive mercy.
For God delivered all to disobedience,
that he might have mercy upon all.

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God!
How inscrutable are his judgements and how unsearchable his ways!

For who has known the mind of the Lord
or who has been his counsellor?
Or who has given him anything
that he may be repaid?

For from him and through him and for him are all things.
To God be glory forever. Amen.

Let us never forget that we cannot understand the ways of God. Before God we are nothing and his love, wisdom and the power of his Word have created the universe which we have not been able to analyse and understand. As the Book of Wisdom says: “In your sight the whole world is like a grain of dust that tips the scales, like a drop of morning dew falling on the ground”. But we know he is a merciful and loving God and he allows sin and disobedience so that he can show mercy to all. This is the mystery of the rejection of his Son by the chosen people about which Paul has written. His choice of Israel and indeed of anyone is irrevocable. We may harden our hearts but his choice of us and love for us ever remain.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 69:30-31, 33-34, 36

R. (14c) Lord, in your great love, answer me.
But I am afflicted and in pain;
let your saving help, O God, protect me.
I will praise the name of God in song,
and I will glorify him with thanksgiving.
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
"See, you lowly ones, and be glad;
you who seek God, may your hearts revive!
For the LORD hears the poor,
and his own who are in bonds he spurns not."
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.
For God will save Zion
and rebuild the cities of Judah.
They shall dwell in the land and own it,
and the descendants of his servants shall inherit it,
and those who love his name shall inhabit it.
R. Lord, in your great love, answer me.

Gospel Lk 14:12-14

On a Sabbath Jesus went to dine
at the home of one of the leading Pharisees.
He said to the host who invited him,
"When you hold a lunch or a dinner,
do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters
or your relatives or your wealthy neighbours,
in case they may invite you back and you have repayment.
Rather, when you hold a banquet,
invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;
blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.
For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."

Jesus had a great love for the poor. “Blessed are the poor” he said “Theirs is the Kingdom of heaven”. We are in fact all poor, even though we may have some money. We must not think that we are independent and can go it I alone. We are dependent on God and no one can add even a minute to his span of life. We cannot make  success of our life by our own efforts. We need God’s constant blessings. Jesus had a childlike dependence on God, trusting that God would provide everything. Like Jesus his disciple must reach out to the poor not so much in giving things as giving themselves and their love. Those who do will be rewarded by God because whatever we say or do to another he takes as said or done to himself. Going by your words and deeds how much do you love God?

Solemnity of All Saints
November 1st 2011

Reading 1 Rv 7:2-4, 9-14

I, John, saw another angel come up from the East,
holding the seal of the living God.
He cried out in a loud voice to the four angels
who were given power to damage the land and the sea,
"Do not damage the land or the sea or the trees
until we put the seal on the foreheads of the servants of our God."
I heard the number of those who had been marked with the seal,
one hundred and forty-four thousand marked
from every tribe of the children of Israel.

After this I had a vision of a great multitude,
which no one could count,
from every nation, race, people, and tongue.
They stood before the throne and before the Lamb,
wearing white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.
They cried out in a loud voice:

"Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne,
and from the Lamb."

All the angels stood around the throne
and around the elders and the four living creatures.
They prostrated themselves before the throne,
worshiped God, and exclaimed:

"Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving,
honour, power, and might
be to our God forever and ever. Amen."

Then one of the elders spoke up and said to me,
"Who are these wearing white robes, and where did they come from?"
I said to him, "My lord, you are the one who knows."
He said to me,
"These are the ones who have survived the time of great distress;
they have washed their robes
and made them white in the Blood of the Lamb."

Salvation is the work of God. He is the only one who can take away our sins and heal us of the wounds of sin. This he does to all who approach Jesus and rely on his mercy and grace. God is God and he wants to save everyone. However on the other hand Salvation isn’t something cheap for us. It cost Jesus his life on the Cross but if we really want to be free from sin and healed of the wounds of sin then we have to take our relationship with Jesus seriously. We need to daily fall at the feet of Jesus in prayer and in all sincerity rely on his grace.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 24:1bc-2, 3-4ab, 5-6

R. (see 6) Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
The LORD's are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
One whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his saviour.
Such is the race that seeks him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.

Reading 2 1 Jn 3:1-3

Beloved:
See what love the Father has bestowed on us
that we may be called the children of God.
Yet so we are.
The reason the world does not know us
is that it did not know him.
Beloved, we are God's children now;
what we shall be has not yet been revealed.
We do know that when it is revealed we shall be like him,
for we shall see him as he is.
Everyone who has this hope based on him makes himself pure,
as he is pure.

The world in which we are presently living is God’s world and it is in this world that we must work out our vocation – this is to fulfil the plan that God has for each of us. This is to live our life according to his laws which show us the way and by listening to his inspirations that we can recognise through his Word and in our prayer. It is also to create a world which is according to his justice and love. This is the task of his children on earth. When our vocation is fully realised we will be like him because we will be his children living in the vision of his Divine Family.

Gospel Mt 5:1-12a

When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the mountain,
and after he had sat down, his disciples came to him.
He began to teach them, saying:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are they who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the land.
Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the clean of heart,
for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness,
for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you
and utter every kind of evil against you falsely because of me.
Rejoice and be glad,
for your reward will be great in heaven."

We are weak but strong in Christ. Our confidence comes from our trust in Jesus. We cannot earn heaven. Blessed, Jesus says, are those who realise that they have nothing of their own, God’s Kingdom is theirs. Holiness and salvation come from being united to Christ as the branch to the vine. We need to remain in Christ and Christ will remain in us. We will grow to be like him. We rejoice today when we read that a number impossible to count and from every race, tribe and people surround the Lamb. These are saved by Christ. In life they belonged to Jesus and he saved them for eternity. They have become the image of Jesus. The saints in heaven are raised to the level of God as Jesus has been. Today we celebrate and praise God for working out his saving plan. Do you live in Jesus?

The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed  (All Souls)
Wednesday November 2nd The following are a selection of the readings that may be chosen for this day.
 Reading 1 Wis 3:1-9

 The souls of the just are in the hand of God,

and no torment shall touch them.
They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead;
and their passing away was thought an affliction
and their going forth from us, utter destruction.
But they are in peace.
For if before men, indeed, they be punished,
yet is their hope full of immortality;
chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed,
because God tried them
and found them worthy of himself.
As gold in the furnace, he proved them,
and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.
In the time of their visitation they shall shine,
and shall dart about as sparks through stubble;
they shall judge nations and rule over peoples,
and the LORD shall be their King forever.
Those who trust in him shall understand truth,
and the faithful shall abide with him in love:
because grace and mercy are with his holy ones,
and his care is with his elect.

Even the most brilliant among us is characterised by our ignorance. We hardly know and understand what we can see and our ignorance of what we cannot see is almost total. From our own philosophical thinking we have no idea of what happens after death. Enough for our peace has been revealed to us by the Lord Jesus. We know from him that those who have lived lives of faith are in the hands of the Loving and Merciful God who is our Father. This is our consolation in the face of the death of loved ones. What are we to do now? We are to cultivate our friendship with the only One who will be with us in our time of passage from this world. He invites us to be his friend and promises us eternal life: I am the Resurrection and the Life. Whoever believes in me will live for ever. Wise people make this friendship the goal of their lives.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6

R. (1) The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
beside restful waters he leads me;
he refreshes my soul.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
He guides me in right paths
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
with your rod and your staff
that give me courage.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
You spread the table before me
in the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.
Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.
R. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.
or:
R. Though I walk in the valley of darkness, I fear no evil, for you are with me.

Reading 2 Rom 5:5-11

Hope does not disappoint,
because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts
through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
For Christ, while we were still helpless,
died at the appointed time for the ungodly.
Indeed, only with difficulty does one die for a just person,
though perhaps for a good person
one might even find courage to die.
But God proves his love for us
in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.
How much more then, since we are now justified by his Blood,
will we be saved through him from the wrath.
Indeed, if, while we were enemies,
we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son,
how much more, once reconciled,
will we be saved by his life.
Not only that,
but we also boast of God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
through whom we have now received reconciliation.

The dynamic truth that transformed Paul was that Jesus, the Son of God, thought him so valuable that he was willing to die for him on a cross: “he loved me and gave his life for me”. At the time Paul was a bitter persecutor of the Church of Jesus. He was so overwhelmed with this truth that he instantly became the herald of Jesus to the whole world. Jesus loves each of us with an unconditional love. Saint or sinner he loves each person to the point of dying for them on the Cross. This is our consolation in the face of death. We go to a God whose love for us knows no limits.

Gospel Jn 6:37-40

Jesus said to the crowds:
"Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day."

Death is a mystery. Before it we must be silent. When the dead person is someone close we feel the wrench of death. The sting of death is sin. Jesus gives us grounds for hope. His message is that God is love. God longs for us like the father in the parable of the lost son – ‘while he was a long way off, the father saw him and moved with pity, ran out and threw his arms around him'. Life is meant to be with Jesus. It is a life in faith and faith is darkness. While in this world, we are in exile from the Lord. Jesus loved us and died for us. We commend the dead to his mercy, which has no limit. While living may we make our home in him so that in going to God at death we may go home.  Are you always ready?

Thursday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time
November 3rd 2011

Reading 1 Rom 14:7-12

Brothers and sisters:
None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself.
For if we live, we live for the Lord,
and if we die, we die for the Lord;
so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's.
For this is why Christ died and came to life,
that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
Why then do you judge your brother or sister?
Or you, why do you look down on your brother or sister?
For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God;
for it is written:

As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bend before me,
and every tongue shall give praise to God.

So then each of us shall give an account of himself to God.

Without Christ we would be eternally lost. Because of him we now live with the sure hope of an eternal life with God. We are his. We should live for him and in the end die for him so as to live with him for ever. This is in brief our religion. Since he looks on each of us with infinite love it follows that we must love one another if we love him. A sobering thought is that the way we look on others, even one, is the way we look on Christ. The measure of our love for him is the love or lack of it we show to even one person.  

Responsorial Psalm Ps 27:1bcde, 4, 13-14

R. ( 13) I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom should I fear?
The LORD is my life's refuge;
of whom should I be afraid?
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
One thing I ask of the LORD;
this I seek:
To dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
That I may gaze on the loveliness of the LORD
and contemplate his temple.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.
I believe that I shall see the bounty of the LORD
in the land of the living.
Wait for the LORD with courage;
be stouthearted, and wait for the LORD.
R. I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living.

Gospel Lk 15:1-10

The tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to listen to Jesus,
but the Pharisees and scribes began to complain, saying,
"This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."
So Jesus addressed this parable to them.
"What man among you having a hundred sheep and losing one of them
would not leave the ninety-nine in the desert
and go after the lost one until he finds it?
And when he does find it,
he sets it on his shoulders with great joy
and, upon his arrival home,
he calls together his friends and neighbours and says to them,
"Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep."
I tell you, in just the same way
there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents
than over ninety-nine righteous people
who have no need of repentance.

"Or what woman having ten coins and losing one
would not light a lamp and sweep the house,
searching carefully until she finds it?
And when she does find it,
she calls together her friends and neighbors
and says to them,
"Rejoice with me because I have found the coin that I lost."
In just the same way, I tell you,
there will be rejoicing among the angels of God
over one sinner who repents."

The outcasts of society come to Jesus and he welcomes them. They are dishonest and sinners but Jesus sits and eats with them. He doesn’t tell them to repent first and then come. He loves them whether they repent or not. He wants them to repent because he loves them and wants them to be happy for ever in eternal life, but his love is not dependent on their repenting. He feels by showing his love, they may begin to change and leave their sinfulness which is destructive. He loves you too whether you repent or not.  Are you the lost sheep come home? Or,  the lost coin that has appeared?  Your return causes the Lord who died for you immense joy and is your eternal salvation. If you respond to grace you can return and you can be found. Do you want to cause cheers in heaven?

Memorial of Saint Charles Borromeo, bishop
Friday 4th November 2011

Reading 1 Rom 15:14-21

I myself am convinced about you, my brothers and sisters,
that you yourselves are full of goodness,
filled with all knowledge, and able to admonish one another.
But I have written to you rather boldly in some respects to remind you,
because of the grace given me by God
to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles
in performing the priestly service of the Gospel of God,
so that the offering up of the Gentiles may be acceptable,
sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to boast in what pertains to God.
For I will not dare to speak of anything
except what Christ has accomplished through me
to lead the Gentiles to obedience by word and deed,
by the power of signs and wonders,
by the power of the Spirit of God,
so that from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum
I have finished preaching the Gospel of Christ.
Thus I aspire to proclaim the Gospel
not where Christ has already been named,
so that I do not build on another's foundation,
but as it is written:

Those who have never been told of him shall see,
and those who have never heard of him shall understand.

Paul is the true missionary who proclaims Jesus to those who have not yet had the opportunity of hearing about him. He is a pioneer. He preaches not a doctrine or a system of ideas but “by the power of signs and wonders, (and) by the power of the Spirit of God” to bring the gentiles to obedience to the Lord Jesus by his words and deeds. Jesus is our religion and love and obedience is the living out of our religion.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4

R. (see 2b) The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
Sing to the LORD a new song,
for he has done wondrous deeds;
His right hand has won victory for him,
his holy arm.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
The LORD has made his salvation known:
in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.
He has remembered his kindness and his faithfulness
toward the house of Israel.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.
All the ends of the earth have seen
the salvation by our God.
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands;
break into song; sing praise.
R. The Lord has revealed to the nations his saving power.

Gospel Lk 16:1-8

Jesus said to his disciples, "A rich man had a steward
who was reported to him for squandering his property.
He summoned him and said,
"What is this I hear about you?
Prepare a full account of your stewardship,
because you can no longer be my steward."
The steward said to himself, "What shall I do,
now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me?
I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg.
I know what I shall do so that,
when I am removed from the stewardship,
they may welcome me into their homes."
He called in his master's debtors one by one.
To the first he said, "How much do you owe my master?"
He replied, "One hundred measures of olive oil."
He said to him, "Here is your promissory note.
Sit down and quickly write one for fifty."
Then to another he said, "And you, how much do you owe?"
He replied, "One hundred measures of wheat."
He said to him, "Here is your promissory note;
write one for eighty."
And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.
For the children of this world
are more prudent in dealing with their own generation
than the children of light."

Jesus doesn’t praise dishonesty. He holds up as a model the cleverness of this unjust steward. He knows he is going to lose his job. While he has it, with it he makes friends who will support him when he is on the street. Jesus praises him for acting with shrewdness to safeguard his future. Worldly people work harder for their ambitions than believers for the Kingdom of God. We know life is temporary, that at death the real life begins but are we bothered very much to safeguard our eternal future? To safeguard his future he made friends. To safeguard our eternal life we should now make a Friend. If we concentrate on making Jesus our Friend then he will support us when this life slips from our hands. He will make sure that all is well. Are you anxious to make Jesus you Friend, Saviour and Lord?

Saturday of the Thirty-First Week in Ordinary Time
5th November 2011

Reading 1 Rom 16:3-9, 16, 22-27

Brothers and sisters:
Greet Prisca and Aquila, my co-workers in Christ Jesus,
who risked their necks for my life,
to whom not only I am grateful but also all the churches of the Gentiles;
greet also the Church at their house.
Greet my beloved Epaenetus,
who was the first fruits in Asia for Christ.
Greet Mary, who has worked hard for you.
Greet Andronicus and Junia,
my relatives and my fellow prisoners;
they are prominent among the Apostles
and they were in Christ before me.
Greet Ampliatus, my beloved in the Lord.
Greet Urbanus, our co-worker in Christ,
and my beloved Stachys.
Greet one another with a holy kiss.
All the churches of Christ greet you.

I, Tertius, the writer of this letter, greet you in the Lord.
Gaius, who is host to me and to the whole Church, greets you.
Erastus, the city treasurer,
and our brother Quartus greet you.

Now to him who can strengthen you,
according to my Gospel and the proclamation of Jesus Christ,
according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret for long ages
but now manifested through the prophetic writings and,
according to the command of the eternal God,
made known to all nations to bring about the obedience of faith,
to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ
be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Considering that Paul had never been to Rome and did not know the community there personally, this passage is surprising because he gives evidence of knowing so many people there. It is for this reason that many think that this part of the letter was somehow or other joined to this letter though it was not meant for the people of Rome. Whatever, it shows how Paul knew his people and like a true pastor loved and cared for them. The final doxology too seems to have come from elsewhere in the course of history. Nonetheless it is the inspired Word of God and gives us the essence of our Faith.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 145:2-3, 4-5, 10-11

R. (1b) I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
Every day will I bless you,
and I will praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the LORD and highly to be praised;
his greatness is unsearchable.
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
Generation after generation praises your works
and proclaims your might.
They speak of the splendour of your glorious majesty
and tell of your wondrous works.
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.
Let all your works give you thanks, O LORD,
and let your faithful ones bless you.
Let them discourse of the glory of your Kingdom
and speak of your might.
R. I will praise your name for ever, Lord.

Gospel Lk 16:9-15

Jesus said to his disciples:
"I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth,
so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
The person who is trustworthy in very small matters
is also trustworthy in great ones;
and the person who is dishonest in very small matters
is also dishonest in great ones.
If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth,
who will trust you with true wealth?
If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another,
who will give you what is yours?
No servant can serve two masters.
He will either hate one and love the other,
or be devoted to one and despise the other.
You cannot serve God and mammon."

The Pharisees, who loved money,
heard all these things and sneered at him.
And he said to them,
"You justify yourselves in the sight of others,
but God knows your hearts;
for what is of human esteem is an abomination in the sight of God."

Money, says. Paul, is the root of all evil. We can easily become its slave, without realizing it. It can also be the source of good. It depends on how we use it. By sharing it with those in need we make friends. We must share not only money   but our time and ourselves in love. Money is not really ours. Willy-nilly we will one day lose it. We must then use it wisely to win friends for the day when we have lost it and need support. This is the value of helping those in need. Almsgiving pays great dividends. The affairs of this world are insignificant compared with the other life, but nonetheless important. If we know how to use that which we will lose, then we will be given that which will be ours forever. May we be preserved from love for money. Are you?