Jesus Watches You Use Your Special Gifts to Build Up His Church

Jesus Watches You Use Your Special Gifts to Build Up His Church: Parable of the Talents In the liturgy, we hear words of finality. Today we hear the end of St. Matthew’s Gospel during weekday Masses. During Ordinary Time throughout the year, we engage the public ministry of Our Lord. We do so in three ways. The Church begins by hearing about His public ministry by reading the Gospel of St. Mark. When this is concluded, we move to how St. Matthew presents the public ministry of Jesus. We then move from St. Matthew to St. Luke. The Church reads then Luke’s account of Jesus’ public ministry. Hear more within the Homily. In today’s Gospel, we hear of one of Jesus’ last teachings just before His Passion. It brings an end to His public ministry. This teaching is a capstone, and a reminder of what Jesus is teaching to all of us. Before His Passion, he concludes His public ministry with the parable of the talents. Finality Our own lives have a finality too! It’s a simple fact that our lives on earth will also come to an end. At that time, we all must face an accounting of our lives. No one can escape this fact. The Lord in the Gospel is not simply giving a parable of responsibly using what one has! No, it’s a lesson that is deeper than that! The context of the lesson is Life Has Been Given. One also has been given a finite number of days. Sooner or later, the days we have on earth come to an end. When that moment arrives, there is a moment when an accounting occurs. Hear more in the Homily. A Gift from the Holy Spirit Each person is given a treasure of goodness to put to work in the world. We all have unique gifts given by God. The Holy Spirit has given each of us individually, not only a gift we can enjoy, but a gift for the building of God’s Church. How Will We Account For it? Listen to this Meditation Media. Listen to: Jesus Watches You Use Your Special Gifts to Build Up His Church --------------------------------- Images: Parable of the Talents Etching: Dutch Painter and Artist: Jan Luyken: (l: 1649-1712) --------------------------------- Gospel Reading: Matthew: 25: 14-30 First Reading: 1 Cor: 1: 26-31