33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time
Scriptures: Prov. 31:10-13; Ps. 127: 1-5; 1 Thes. 5:1-6; Mt. 25: 14-30
We celebrate today the last Sunday of the Ordinary Time of the liturgical year. The next Sunday will be the Solemnity of Christ the King. We will soon enter into the season of Advent. The season of Advent helps us to reflect on the second coming of Christ. The last couple of Sundays of the ordinary time initiates us into the season of Advent. We were told last Sunday to prepare and wait patiently for the Lord and for his wisdom. This Sunday’s liturgy also gives us the same message. It tells us to work diligently. It tells us to take a risk for the Lord. It tells us to be alert and sober.
The first reading is taken from the book of Proverbs. It speaks about a woman who keeps herself busy with her work. She does not waste time. She is always busy doing something. She reaches out to the poor and the needy. She becomes an honour to her husband. Everyone talks about her at the city gate. Her works speak louder than words. The woman who was looked down in the patristic society for several centuries is now presented as a woman in a dignified way. Her value is considered far beyond pearls. We also told that she is wise. It is in other words she feared the Lord. We are exhorted to imitate her in our lives. We need to work diligently, take risks in sharing the gifts we have with others. Thus we will be able to be worthy to meet the Lord.
The second reading gives us the same message. As I told you last Sunday, the first letter to the Thessalonians is one of the earliest writings of St. Paul. He had a deep conviction in the second coming of Christ. He preached his faith to the Thessalonians. As the second coming of Christ got delayed, people began to get confused. They picked up false teachings such as they were worried about the day of the Lord. They were concerned about what would happen at that time. St. Paul tells them not to get worried about the day of the Lord but be prepared to meet him. He exhorts us to be alert and sober. That the Lord may not find us sleeping like the others.
In the Gospel, Jesus speaks on the parable of the talents. Jesus delivers five discourses in the Gospel of Mathew. The last discourse is considered to be an eschatological one. Jesus predicts the end of time. As a part of the discourse, Jesus gives three parables, namely the wise and foolish virgins, the Talents and the last judgement. The focus in these parables is not on the end time but on our preparation. We need to be prepared all the time for the day of the Lord.
The parable of Talent has hinted at those who did not make use of their talents especially the Jewish authorities. Talent means a sum of money worth more than six thousand denarii. It would take twenty years to earn it for a daily wages labourer. Some other authors interpret it as one life’s earning. Each of the three servants was given these life’s earning according to their capacities. The first and the second servant traded and made double. The third servant kept it hiding and produced the same at the master’s arrival. The question raised here is about the laziness of the servant. The servant did not work on the talent; he did not think; he did not even try. He gave lame excuses. The application of the parable was to the Jewish religious authorities. They were also given the talent of religious treasure but they kept it hiding. They did not take the risk in exploring it. In other words, they were not prepared for the Lord’s coming.
Today we celebrate the World Day of the Poor in the Catholic Church, instituted by Pope Francis in 2017. Pope Francis gives us a beautiful message on this world day of the poor to stretch out your hand to the poor. The quote is taken from the book of Sirach (7: 32). He tells us a hand held out is a sign; a sign that immediately speaks of closeness, solidarity and love. The COVID 19 pandemic caught us off guard. The lockdown brought misery in the lives of the poor and the needy. The stretched out hands of every individual in moments of need offered support and love in the pandemic.
We are called to work and reach out to others like the wise woman in the first reading. We are called to be prepared, alert and sober to meet the Lord in the second reading. We are called to work diligently, taking risks in sharing God’s gifts with others. The World Day of the Poor also invites us to stretch out our hands to the poor. Each of the readings gives us a mantra (wise thought) to prepare ourselves for the day of the Lord. Let this Eucharist deepen our faith and help us to prepare ourselves to meet the Lord.
