September 24, 2012

Monday of the Twenty-fifth Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 449

A Reading from the Old Testament book of Proverbs 

Prv 3:27-34

Refuse no one the good on which he has a claim
when it is in your power to do it for him.

Give to all who ask of you.  For everything good is of God and everything you have was given you by God.

Say not to your neighbor, "Go, and come again,
tomorrow I will give," when you can give at once.

If you have it do not deny your neighbor of God's gifts.

Plot no evil against your neighbor,
against one who lives at peace with you.

Do not scheme against your peaceful neighbor.

Quarrel not with a man without cause,
with one who has done you no harm.

Do not argue with one who has not harmed you.

Envy not the lawless man
and choose none of his ways:

Do not covet that which the lawless man possesses.  And do not imitate his ways.

To the LORD the perverse one is an abomination,
but with the upright is his friendship.

For the lawless are enemies of God and the righteous are God's friends.

The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked,
but the dwelling of the just he blesses;

God's curse is upon the wicked and God's blessing upon the good.

When dealing with the arrogant, he is stern,
but to the humble he shows kindness.

It is written:

Luke 14:11
King James Version (KJV)
¹¹ For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. 

Responsorial Psalm Ps 15:2-3a, 3bc-4ab, 5

Response. (1) The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord. 

He who walks blamelessly and does justice;
who thinks the truth in his heart
and slanders not with his tongue. 

R. The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord. 

Who harms not his fellow man,
nor takes up a reproach against his neighbor;
By whom the reprobate is despised,
while he honors those who fear the LORD. 

R. The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord. 

Who lends not his money at usury
and accepts no bribe against the innocent.
He who does these things
shall never be disturbed. 

R. The just one shall live on your holy mountain, O Lord.

Thou shalt not.  Not to do evil is to do good.  Look at the things which a just man does not do.  Slanders not, harms not, reproaches not, does not practice usury, accepts no bribes.  He who does not do these things, does the good which God demands.  He who does not do these things, walks in righteousness.

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Luke 

Lk 8:16-18

Jesus said to the crowd:
"No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a vessel
or sets it under a bed;
rather, he places it on a lampstand
so that those who enter may see the light.

We are called to humility.  But humility does not mean that we are supposed to be wall flowers:

Matthew 5:16
King James Version (KJV)
¹⁶ Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 

  We must always be prepared to give a testimony to those who ask:

1 Peter 3:15
King James Version (KJV)
¹⁵ But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:

For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible,
and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light.

In the Judgement, all will be revealed.

Take care, then, how you hear.

Be very careful to discern correctly the Teaching of God.

To anyone who has, more will be given,
and from the one who has not,
even what he seems to have will be taken away."

To one who has faith and acts upon it, more will be given.  To the one who has no faith, even the faith he claims to have will be taken away.  Compare this teaching to this parable:

Matthew 25:14-30
King James Version (KJV)
¹⁴ For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.  ¹⁵ And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.  ¹⁶ Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.  ¹⁷ And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.  ¹⁸ But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.  ¹⁹ After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.  ²⁰ And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.  ²¹ His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.  ²² He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.  ²³ His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.  ²⁴ Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:  ²⁵ And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.  ²⁶ His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:  ²⁷ Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.  ²⁸ Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.  ²⁹ For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.  ³⁰ And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

 Therefore, Christ teaches us to exercise our faith or we will lose it.

Sincerely,

De Maria