FRIENDS and SERVANTS of the WORD
20 NOVEMBER 2024
33nd Wednesday Ordinary Time
WORD of the DAY
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. (Luke 19: 11-28)
How shall I live this Word?
Jesus begins his journey to Jerusalem, where He will suffer and die the most humiliating and cruel death, in order to manifest His glory and our salvation. In the parable, we see three servants and often identify with the third, who sees in the figure of the master (God) a rigid, severe person who causes fear. Instead, God in everyday life presents Himself to us with mercy, by showing us His great love and inviting us to follow Him, with freedom of choice, taking the consequences of our actions. Because His love for us is free and generous, His greatest desire is that we may be happy to feel loved and also love ourselves without conditions.
“You are worthy, O Lord and our God, to receive the glory, honor, and power, because You created all things, for Your will existed and were created.”
The voice of Pope Francis Dilexit Nos
He loved us», says Saint Paul referring to Christ (Rom 8:37), to make us discover that from this love nothing «can ever separate us» (Rom 8:39). Paul affirmed this with certainty because Christ himself had assured his disciples: «I have loved you» (Jn 15,9.12). He also said: «I have called you friends» (Jn 15,15). His open heart precedes us and awaits us without conditions, without any requirement to be able to love us and offer us his friendship: He loved us first (cf. 1 Jn 4,10). Thanks to Jesus «we have known and believed the love that God has in us» (1 Jn 4,16).
E-mail: srmterzo@gmail.com Website: www.sanbiagio.org info@sanbiagio.org Blog: livingscripture.wordpress.com -Comment: Sr. Cleonice Lourenco, FMA
