GOSPEL POWER | AUGUST 28, 2021 - Saturday - 21st Week in Ordinary Time

Saint Augustine, bishop  and doctor of the Church

1st Reading: 1 Thes 4:9-11 

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 98 – The Lord comes to rule the earth  with justice. 

Gospel: Mt 25:14-30 

Jesus told his disciples this parable: “For it is as if a man, going  on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to  them; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to  each according to his ability. Then he went away. The one who had  received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and  made five more talents. In the same way, the one who had the two  talents made two more talents. But the one who had received the  one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s  money. After a long time the master of those slaves came and  settled accounts with them. Then the one who had received the five  talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you  handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.’  His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave;  you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge  of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ And the one with  the two talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over  to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.’ His master  said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been  trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things;  enter into the joy of your master.’ Then the one who had received  the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew that you  were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering  where you did not scatter seed; so I was afraid, and I went and hid  your talent in the ground...

Reflection:

Kingdom of heaven is the expression Jesus uses to refer to  his heavenly Father’s rule and concerns. The so-called  “parable of the talents,” is really about the Father’s act of  empowering us to grow in responsibility. He risks entrusting his  wealth to us because only by doing so can he form us into responsible  citizens of the Kingdom. The strange reward for being responsible  in small matters is an increase of responsibilities. The third servant  typifies people who fear responsibilities and can fabricate all kinds of  excuses to avoid them. This servant even blames his master’s character  for his failure to invest his talent. The parable suggests a strong link  between being responsible and participating in the master’s joy.  The third servant deprives himself of such participation because he  neglected the opportunity given him to grow in responsibility.

Prayer:

Lord Jesus, may we never forget that we are our brothers’ and sisters’  keepers. Amen