Pray! : November 20, 2013

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

November 20, 2013

Wednesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
Lectionary: 499
Reading 1 2 MC 7:1, 20-31

It happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrested
and tortured with whips and scourges by the king,
to force them to eat pork in violation of God’s law.

Continuing with the story of the Maccabean era, where told about the mother with seven sons who were tortured by the Greek King to force them to disobey God.

Most admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance was the mother,
who saw her seven sons perish in a single day,
yet bore it courageously because of her hope in the Lord.

The mother is to be admired most of all for she courageously saw her seven sons killed in one day and yet remained faithful to God.

Filled with a noble spirit that stirred her womanly heart with manly courage,
she exhorted each of them
in the language of their ancestors with these words:
“I do not know how you came into existence in my womb;
it was not I who gave you the breath of life,
nor was it I who set in order
the elements of which each of you is composed.

She advised them courageously saying, "I don't know how you came to be, how you were created in my womb, nor did I give you life, nor create material of which you are made."

Therefore, since it is the Creator of the universe
who shapes each man’s beginning,
as he brings about the origin of everything,
he, in his mercy,
will give you back both breath and life,
because you now disregard yourselves for the sake of his law.”

But hold fast to your hope in the God who created all things. As he gave you life in my womb he can give you life eternal.

Antiochus, suspecting insult in her words,
thought he was being ridiculed.
As the youngest brother was still alive, the king appealed to him,
not with mere words, but with promises on oath,
to make him rich and happy if he would abandon his ancestral customs:
he would make him his Friend
and entrust him with high office.

The king tried to tempt the youngest of her children with riches and high office.

When the youth paid no attention to him at all,
the king appealed to the mother,
urging her to advise her boy to save his life.

But the boy would not listen to him. So the King turned and appealed to the boy's mother.

After he had urged her for a long time,
she went through the motions of persuading her son.
In derision of the cruel tyrant,
she leaned over close to her son and said in their native language:
“Son, have pity on me, who carried you in my womb for nine months,
nursed you for three years, brought you up,
educated and supported you to your present age.
I beg you, child, to look at the heavens and the earth
and see all that is in them;
then you will know that God did not make them out of existing things;
and in the same way the human race came into existence.
Do not be afraid of this executioner,
but be worthy of your brothers and accept death,
so that in the time of mercy I may receive you again with them.”

But she only pretended to do what King asked. And instead she continued to urge her son to be faithful to God.

She had scarcely finished speaking when the youth said:
“What are you waiting for?
I will not obey the king’s command.
I obey the command of the law given to our fathers through Moses.
But you, who have contrived every kind of affliction for the Hebrews,
will not escape the hands of God.”

And the young man challenged the King. "What are you waiting for? I obey God through his prophets. But you would who have made the Hebrews to suffer at your hands will not escape the hands of God."

Responsorial Psalm PS 17:1BCD, 5-6, 8B AND 15

R. (15b) Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Hear, O LORD, a just suit;
attend to my outcry;
hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.

R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
My steps have been steadfast in your paths,
my feet have not faltered.
I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God;
incline your ear to me; hear my word.

R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
Keep me as the apple of your eye;
hide me in the shadow of your wings.
But I in justice shall behold your face;
on waking, I shall be content in your presence.
R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

The Psalm sings in the hope of the appearance of the glory of God. And the glory of God has appeared. It is Jesus our Lord. And we, who are baptized, are blessed to be members of his body.

Gospel LK 19:11-28

While people were listening to Jesus speak,
he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem
and they thought that the Kingdom of God
would appear there immediately.

Jesus told his followers a parable about the coming of the kingdom because his followers thought that the kingdom of God would appear very soon.

So he said,
“A nobleman went off to a distant country
to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return.
He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins
and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’

A very wealthy man was leaving for a distant country where he would be crowned King. Therefore he appointed 10 servants and gave them 10 points each with the command to multiply their returns.

His fellow citizens, however, despised him
and sent a delegation after him to announce,
‘We do not want this man to be our king.’

The citizens of that country hated him and sent a group to proclaim their defiance.

But when he returned after obtaining the kingship,
he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money,
to learn what they had gained by trading.

When he came back he called on the 10 servants to see what they had done with the money.

The first came forward and said,
‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’

The first said, "see I have made 10 additional coins."

He replied, ‘Well done, good servant!
You have been faithful in this very small matter;
take charge of ten cities.’

"Well done!" said the Master, " you have been faithful in small matters therefore I will put you in charge of 10 cities."

Then the second came and reported,
‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’
And to this servant too he said,
‘You, take charge of five cities.’

The second earned five points and was appointed over five cities.

Then the other servant came and said,
‘Sir, here is your gold coin;
I kept it stored away in a handkerchief,
for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding man;
you take up what you did not lay down
and you harvest what you did not plant.’

The third said, "I hid your gold coin and did nothing with it. Because I know that you're a thief and a bully and take what you want when you want."

He said to him,
‘With your own words I shall condemn you,
you wicked servant.

And the master said, "you have condemned yourself with what you said.

You knew I was a demanding man,
taking up what I did not lay down
and harvesting what I did not plant;
why did you not put my money in a bank?

If you knew that I was so harsh more is the reason for you to put the money to work.

Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’

Then when I returned my money would've earned some interest.

And to those standing by he said,
‘Take the gold coin from him
and give it to the servant who has ten.’

Then to the other servants he said, " take the gold coin from him and give it to the one who has 10."

But they said to him,
‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’
He replied, ‘I tell you,
to everyone who has, more will be given,
but from the one who has not,
even what he has will be taken away.

but they said, "Lord he already has 10." And he replied, "to the one who has much, more will be given. And to the one who does not have even what he has will be taken away."

This is a reference to "faith". Those who have faith and put it to work, will receive more. Those who have little faith and do not put it to work, will lose the little faith they had.

Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king,
bring them here and slay them before me.’”