18-Nov-15

Gospel Luke 19 11-28
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.
Reflection:
"He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins."
We too have been given a gift. It is not a coin of gold but is instead the gift of faith.
We have not been given the gift of faith to "store it away" for safe keeping. Kept to ourselves, the gift of faith will whither and shrink.
In order for our faith to grow it must be shared with others.
The truth of Jesus' message is evident in our everyday lives.
Every great athlete improves his skills by using them.
Every great musician grows in his talent through practice.
Every great artist must continue to paint or his skills will dry up, along with his paints.
When we rely on our own abilities, the burdens of life become heavier and weigh us down.
But, when we turn to God, our load lightens and our faith in Jesus grows.
Our faith is not meant for us to keep to ourselves.
We are called to share our faith by allowing Christ who lives in us to lend "our" shoulder to those who weep and "our" arms to carry the burdens of those that are weak.
In the process of being Jesus to others, our faith will continue to grow.
In today's parable, the nobleman,"had the servants called, to whom he had given the money, to learn what they had gained by trading."
When Christ asks what we have gained with our gift of faith, may we each answer,
"I gave it to others Lord, and in doing so it grew in them as well as in me."

"In my deepest, darkest moments,what really got me through was prayer. Sometimes my prayer was "Help me." Sometimes a prayer was "Thank you." What I've discovered is that intimate connection and communication with my Creator will always get me through because I know my support, my help, is just a prayer away." Iyania Vanzant