Readings for Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time[1][2]
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Proverbs 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Prv 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31
This entire section (Proverbs 31:10-31) is an acrostic poem (each strophe starting with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet). It is sincere praise for the wife of virtue (unlike Ecclesiastes 7-28) and is intended to be a model for the good Hebrew wife to follow. The strophes selected emphasize first the esteem in which she is to be held by all (not just her family) and the example of diligence in the tasks she performs. The concluding strophe is praise for the woman who “fears the Lord”, as indicated earlier in Proverbs 9:10 and 1:7, fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm:[4] Psalm 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
Supporting the pleasure God takes in the fidelity shown in the reading from Proverbs, this hymn of praise extols the virtuous wife and the role she has in the home. It continues, celebrating the faithful family.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading II: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6
Concerning times and seasons, brothers,
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, 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 1 Thes 5:1-6
St. Paul takes up the theme of vigilance and preparedness with the Thessalonians in this selection. He reminds them that the hour and the day of the Lord’s coming is not known and that, unlike those who live in darkness (the pagans) they are children of the light. His tone makes it clear that his expectation is that the Parousia is coming soon.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Matthew 25:14-30
"It will be as when a man who was 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.'"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 25:14-30
The parable of the Talents comes to us as part of Jesus’ dialog about being prepared and vigilant. It combines two different but connected logions or morals/teaching points; the first is to use the gifts God has given for the benefit of God who is represented by the “Master” in the parable, and the second is vigilance. This parable, directed at the disciples, exhorts his servants to use the gifts God has given them to the fullest for the benefit of others (as well as God). It is an exclamation point to Jesus earlier statement “those to whom much is given, even more will be expected.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Or Matthew 25:14-15, 19-21
"It will be as when a man
who was 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.
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.'"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 25:14-15, 19-21
This shorter form of the Gospel focuses narrowly on the need for the faithful to use the gifts God has given them to the fullest for the benefit of others (as well as God). It is an exclamation point to Jesus earlier statement “those to whom much is given, even more will be expected.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
In the modern day and age the first scripture passages we are given today will be considered to be “stereo-typical and sexist” since the picture painted of the “worthy wife” is one who is industrious in what might be called “homey” things. We would point out; however, that the image painted is no more guilty of stereotyping women – wives as home-bodies than other scripture is about painting the role of men in strictly decision-making roles. We accept the literary form offered as it was intended, to provide guidance and wisdom to the faithful and to be appreciated, taking into account the social structures and conventions of the time and audience to which they were originally intended.
Does that mean that all people who disregard and discredit the conservative attitudes expressed in these poems are correct? No, it also does not mean that those who take these images literally and attempt to enforce them today are correct, especially if they use these passages as excuses to exercise dominance or control over another. Where then does the truth lie? For we believe, as St. Timothy said; “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3: 16-17)
We look to the underlying principal that stimulated this praise of virtue. The values extolled in this passage are those we should value in all persons, regardless of gender or station in life. Beyond the first part of the poem in which praise is expressed for the worthy person, the principal virtues are twofold; first is industriousness. The person is not sloth; they do not sit around doing no work, taking no part in the effort of providing for the comfort of the family. The worthy wife in this example exercises her skill in clothing and feeding the family (in past ages this was done directly, in the modern era it is frequently done by all adult members of a family by doing a job that provides financial support for the family).
The second virtue mentioned in the selection from the poem in Proverbs is faith in God – “fear of the Lord”. The person without faith has not learned the important lessons of the wise. Most specifically the lessons include mutual love and respect. With love of God comes humility before God. With humility before God comes respect for like-minded followers of the Lord, including one’s spouse. With respect and love comes a sacramental union, indestructible by the vicissitudes of this world.
Not surprisingly, the themes of diligence and faith are the two lessons taught by St. Matthew’s telling of the Parable of the Talents. This story, of course, seems to apply to men rather than women – hopefully the point made above was not lost when moving for Old to New Testaments. Jesus great lesson in this parable is that diligence in using the gifts God gives each of us is expected. The servants who used what the master had left in their charge most effectively were rewarded. The servant who did not use what was left in his charge out of “fear” was punished.
We can now come to a reasonable understanding of the main message today. Regardless of station or gender, we are all expected to use the gifts God has given us – to His greater glory. This last part is critical and that point is made in both the old and new testaments. When we start to think that we can use those gifts for our own benefit, forgetting who our master is, (using the terms of the parable) we find ourselves the butt of another parable – see the parable of the unfaithful steward, Luke 12:45-48.
Today as we reflect in thanks upon the gifts God has given us, we rededicate ourselves to working diligently to please God and to bring about His Kingdom on earth.
Pax
[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture used today is “The Parable of the Unfaithful Servant” by an UNKNOWN German Master, c. 1580
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana
[4] Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.
Readings from the Jerusalem Bible
Readings and Commentary:[3]
Reading 1: Proverbs 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Prv 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31
This entire section (Proverbs 31:10-31) is an acrostic poem (each strophe starting with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet). It is sincere praise for the wife of virtue (unlike Ecclesiastes 7-28) and is intended to be a model for the good Hebrew wife to follow. The strophes selected emphasize first the esteem in which she is to be held by all (not just her family) and the example of diligence in the tasks she performs. The concluding strophe is praise for the woman who “fears the Lord”, as indicated earlier in Proverbs 9:10 and 1:7, fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Responsorial Psalm:[4] Psalm 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
Supporting the pleasure God takes in the fidelity shown in the reading from Proverbs, this hymn of praise extols the virtuous wife and the role she has in the home. It continues, celebrating the faithful family.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reading II: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6
Concerning times and seasons, brothers,
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, 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.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on 1 Thes 5:1-6
St. Paul takes up the theme of vigilance and preparedness with the Thessalonians in this selection. He reminds them that the hour and the day of the Lord’s coming is not known and that, unlike those who live in darkness (the pagans) they are children of the light. His tone makes it clear that his expectation is that the Parousia is coming soon.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gospel: Matthew 25:14-30
"It will be as when a man who was 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.'"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 25:14-30
The parable of the Talents comes to us as part of Jesus’ dialog about being prepared and vigilant. It combines two different but connected logions or morals/teaching points; the first is to use the gifts God has given for the benefit of God who is represented by the “Master” in the parable, and the second is vigilance. This parable, directed at the disciples, exhorts his servants to use the gifts God has given them to the fullest for the benefit of others (as well as God). It is an exclamation point to Jesus earlier statement “those to whom much is given, even more will be expected.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Or Matthew 25:14-15, 19-21
"It will be as when a man
who was 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.
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.'"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commentary on Mt 25:14-15, 19-21
This shorter form of the Gospel focuses narrowly on the need for the faithful to use the gifts God has given them to the fullest for the benefit of others (as well as God). It is an exclamation point to Jesus earlier statement “those to whom much is given, even more will be expected.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reflection:
In the modern day and age the first scripture passages we are given today will be considered to be “stereo-typical and sexist” since the picture painted of the “worthy wife” is one who is industrious in what might be called “homey” things. We would point out; however, that the image painted is no more guilty of stereotyping women – wives as home-bodies than other scripture is about painting the role of men in strictly decision-making roles. We accept the literary form offered as it was intended, to provide guidance and wisdom to the faithful and to be appreciated, taking into account the social structures and conventions of the time and audience to which they were originally intended.
Does that mean that all people who disregard and discredit the conservative attitudes expressed in these poems are correct? No, it also does not mean that those who take these images literally and attempt to enforce them today are correct, especially if they use these passages as excuses to exercise dominance or control over another. Where then does the truth lie? For we believe, as St. Timothy said; “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for refutation, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that one who belongs to God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” (2 Timothy 3: 16-17)
We look to the underlying principal that stimulated this praise of virtue. The values extolled in this passage are those we should value in all persons, regardless of gender or station in life. Beyond the first part of the poem in which praise is expressed for the worthy person, the principal virtues are twofold; first is industriousness. The person is not sloth; they do not sit around doing no work, taking no part in the effort of providing for the comfort of the family. The worthy wife in this example exercises her skill in clothing and feeding the family (in past ages this was done directly, in the modern era it is frequently done by all adult members of a family by doing a job that provides financial support for the family).
The second virtue mentioned in the selection from the poem in Proverbs is faith in God – “fear of the Lord”. The person without faith has not learned the important lessons of the wise. Most specifically the lessons include mutual love and respect. With love of God comes humility before God. With humility before God comes respect for like-minded followers of the Lord, including one’s spouse. With respect and love comes a sacramental union, indestructible by the vicissitudes of this world.
Not surprisingly, the themes of diligence and faith are the two lessons taught by St. Matthew’s telling of the Parable of the Talents. This story, of course, seems to apply to men rather than women – hopefully the point made above was not lost when moving for Old to New Testaments. Jesus great lesson in this parable is that diligence in using the gifts God gives each of us is expected. The servants who used what the master had left in their charge most effectively were rewarded. The servant who did not use what was left in his charge out of “fear” was punished.
We can now come to a reasonable understanding of the main message today. Regardless of station or gender, we are all expected to use the gifts God has given us – to His greater glory. This last part is critical and that point is made in both the old and new testaments. When we start to think that we can use those gifts for our own benefit, forgetting who our master is, (using the terms of the parable) we find ourselves the butt of another parable – see the parable of the unfaithful steward, Luke 12:45-48.
Today as we reflect in thanks upon the gifts God has given us, we rededicate ourselves to working diligently to please God and to bring about His Kingdom on earth.
Pax
[1] ALTRE
[2] The picture used today is “The Parable of the Unfaithful Servant” by an UNKNOWN German Master, c. 1580
[3] Text of Readings is taken from the New American Bible, Copyright © Libreria Editrice Vaticana
[4] Excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. All rights reserved.
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