Lectionary 157: God Has Work For Each of Us to Do, Let’s Do It Well

Key:

What these passages tell us about God

What these passages tell us to do

What these passages tell us not to do

Commentary/observations

Reading 1 PRV 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31                                           

When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls. Her husband, entrusting his heart to her, has an unfailing prize.

She brings him good, and not evil, all the days of her life. She obtains wool and flax and works with loving hands. She puts her hands to the distaff, and her fingers ply the spindle.

 She reaches out her hands to the poor, and extends her arms to the needy.

Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting; the woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her a reward for her labors,
and let her works praise her at the city gates.

Responsorial Psalm PS 128:1-2, 3, 4-5                                            

R. (cf. 1a) Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Blessed are you who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways! For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork; blessed shall you be, and favored.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine in the recesses of your home;
Your children like olive plants around your table.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
Behold, thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD. The LORD bless you from Zion: may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem all the days of your life.
R. Blessed are those who fear the Lord.

Reading 2 1 THES 5:1-6                                                                       

Concerning times and seasons, brothers and sisters, you have no need for anything to be written to you.  For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night.

When people are saying, "Peace and security, " then sudden disaster comes upon them, like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness, for that day to overtake you like a thief.  For all of you are children of the light
and children of the day. We are not of the night or of darkness.
Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us stay alert and sober.

Alleluia JN 15:4A, 5B                                                                           

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Remain in me as I remain in you, says the Lord. Whoever remains in me bears much fruit.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel MT 25:14-30                                                                              

Jesus told his disciples this parable: "A man going on a journey
called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.
To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one--to each according to his ability.  Then he went away.

Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two.  But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master's money.

After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them.

The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five.  He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents. 
See, I have made five more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.  Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities.  Come, share your master's joy.' Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said, 'Master, you gave me two talents.  See, I have made two more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant.  Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master's joy.'

Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, 'Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter;
so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.'

His master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter? Should you not then have put my money in the bank
so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?  Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. 
For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich;
but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'"

1.    God has work for each if us lay people to do in the here and now. For some it is in the home (first reading), for others it is in business (gospel reading), government service (Luke 3:12-13; Romans 13:6), military service (Luke 12:14 ), or care giving (1 Timothy 5:4). The variety is endless, but the unifying point is that God created each person to do things He wants done here on earth, and He expects each of us to diligently work at getting the things He gave us to do done. Other scriptures addressing work are collected here.

2.   God richly rewards those who diligently do the work He gives them. We see that in the first reading, the psalm, and the gospel. That might well include material wealth, but that does not seem to be the main reward.  In the first reading, psalm and the gospel, the rewards are recognition/positive reputation, domestic peace, and peace with God and those He puts us relationship with. Common experience tells us that we also get real satisfaction/joy from doing a good job at what God calls us to, separate and apart from other rewards.

3.   Success in accomplishing God’s work looks different for different people (gospel).

4.   So how do we accomplish the work God gives us in ways that please Him? Again, the variety is endless, but today’s readings give us some specifics:

a.    Seek to bless/provide good to others, work out of love for them (first reading)

b.   Make the most of the technology available to you (first reading)

c.    Work diligently (first reading, gospel)

d.   Share some of the fruits of your work with the poor (first reading, see also Ephesians 4:28 and the scriptures collected here.)

e.    Fear the Lord (first reading, psalm). As Colossians 3:23 puts it, [w]hatever your work is, put your heart into it as done for the Lord, and not for Humans” (New Jerusalem Bible). See also Ephesians 6:7 .  

f.     Ask God for help, look for Him and his actions in the course of  your work (alleluia verse)

g.    Get right on it, work with alacrity (gospel)

h.   Don’t be afraid to take reasonable risks (gospel).

i.     Keep at it, recognize that the results may not come/be recognized until “[a]fter a long time” (gospel).

5.    What are some things that hinder our accomplishing what God calls us to do? Satisfaction with/ fixation on popular opinion/passing standards (first reading), complacency (second reading), fear (gospel).