Please press here to listen to the homily or download
Thirty-third Sunday – Year A – Ordinary Time
Readings: Prov 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31; I Thes 5:1-6; Mt 25:14-30.
1/ First Reading: RSV Proverbs 31:10 A good wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. 11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. 12 She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life. 13 She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. 19 She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. 20 She opens her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hands to the needy. 30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. 31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.
2/ Second Reading: RSV 1 Thessalonians 5:1 But as to the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 When people say, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as travail comes upon a woman with child, and there will be no escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brethren, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all sons of light and sons of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.
3/ Gospel: RSV Matthew 25:14 “For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property; 15 to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more. 17 So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, `Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, `Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, `Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, `Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, `Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow; 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, `You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.’
I. THEME: Let us diligently work to be worthy of God’s trust.
Working diligently is one of the most important factors for one’s success. In the fables of Jean de La Fontaine, there are many stories that esteem on working diligently, such as: the cicada and the ant, the turtle and the rabbit… Though one does not possess many talents, but if he is willing to work diligently, sooner or later he will reach his goal; but if one possess many talents and is lazy, such one can never be successful.
Today readings show us the necessary of working diligently. The first reading gave us an image of a prudent wife, she diligently worked to bring profits for her family. The second reading gave us an image of a faithful servant, he was always awakened and sober as he waited for his master’s return. The Gospel showed us two opposite images: two faithful and wise servants who knew how to use their master’s capital to bring in profit for him, and a lazy servant who did not only bring in profit for his master but also blamed on him as a hard and tight master.
II. ANALYSIS:
1/ Reading I: A prudent wife
Today reading is the last chapter of the Book of Proverbs. After the author had illustrated many wisdoms of ancient people and nations in his Book, he summarized all in the image of an ideal wife. The wisdom of the ancient Israelites is not like the wisdom in today philosophy which did not concern with practical life. The ancient wisdom mainly pays attention to how one manages of his life. The role of a housewife was to build up a happy home, and helped to provide children who will be apt to serve their future family and society. According to the author, to have such a prudent wife is to possess a treasure: “She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.”
What is an ideal wife? Must she be beautiful and charmful? No, the author thought: “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain.” Like Vietnamese ancestors who taught their children: “Virtue overcomes beauty.” The beauty is quick to fade, sometimes it does not only bring a profit for a family, but is also a reason for separation. The virtues will remain for ever and bring in profit for one’s family. What are the important virtues of an ideal wife? The author listed out two most important virtues:
(1) Love God and love others are two important qualities to determine an ideal wife.
– Love God above all: According to Israel tradition of wisdom, “Reverence of God is the origin of all wisdom.” A wife who reveres God will know how to advise her husband and to teach her children to revere God and to keep His commandments. “A woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.”
– Love others: Whoever loves God also loves others. A wise wife does not only care for her family in this life, but also prepares them for the future life so that everyone in her family will be united with God in heaven. To help the poor is to invest for her family in the next life. Therefore, a wise wife is the one who “opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.”
(2) Working diligently: Because “be idle is the mother of all vices,” a wise wife will not waste her time to discuss others’ business. She “seeks wool and flax and works with willing hands. She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.” By diligently working, a wise wife takes care of all things in her home, she prepares good and nutritious meal for her husband and children, not wasting money on fast food restaurants. She knows how to save, not wasting money on unnecessary things. She knows how to earn a second income, not completely relying on her husband’s salary.
A wise wife harvested many good results for herself, her family and society. People praised her: “Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.”
2/ Reading II: A faithful servant is alert and sober.
2.1/ The suddenness of Christ’s second coming: St. Paul warned his faithful: “As to the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves know well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.” Jesus also mentioned “the suddenness” many times in the Gospels (x/c Mt 24:43, Lk 12:39). “When people say, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as travail comes upon a woman with child, and there will be no escape.”
2.2/ A faithful servant is the one who is awaking and diligently working: Because no one knows the time of that Day, everyone should always be alert and ready. Night is the time for many temptations, men are easily falling to temptation in this period due to sleepy and having no preparation. To overcome temptation, St. Paul advised: “But you are not in darkness, brethren, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all sons of light and sons of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.”
3/ Gospel: Be faithful in working according to your master’s trust.
Jesus illustrated a parable to his audience to show the importance of diligently working: “For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property; to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.” A talent is equivalent with 5,000 to 6,000 dennarii, and the working salary at that time is one denarius a day; so, a talent is equivalent with 18 years of daily working, an amount is not small.
3.1/ The master’s wisdom and trust
– His wisdom: Some asked: “Why didn’t the owner give all servants the same amount to avoid jealousy among them?” The reason is that the owner knew his servants’ virtues and vices, he gave to them according to their ability. This shows his wisdom, the investing money must bring in a profit. If one is lazy, giving him one talent is also useless.
– His trust for servants: When he has given them money, he traveled far away, and not hang around to check or to give them his advises. The servants had a complete freedom to use his intellect for investing his money in any possible ways.
3.2/ The wise servants and their rewards: The notable point is the owner did not determined the amount of profit that his servant must produce, he let his servant completely decided it.
(1) A wise servant: “He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more. So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more.” They began to work right away, not wasting time for waiting around.
(2) The reward: Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
– And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, “Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.”
– And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, “Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.” His master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.”
3.3/ The lazy servant and the punishment:
(1) The lazy servant’s reaction: Though he did not bring in his profit, he also found a reason to cover his laziness by accusing his master: “Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow; so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.”
(2) The master’s reaction: “`You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents… And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth. ”
(3) The master’s intention: He did not emphasize on profit because he did not determine how many percent his servant must increase. He gave them according to their ability, and he wish they brought in profit depending on their ability. The point he aimed here is the diligently working; through this sign, his servants showed him if they were worthy of his trust. He clearly declared that “For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
III. APPLICATION IN LIFE:
– God gives us time, talent, health, and material things in this life, is for diligently working and bring a profit for Him. There will be certainly a day that we have to settle our account with Him. If we are diligently working, we will not concern about the day we must settle our account; but if we are lazy or do nothing, that day will be a dreadful day for us.
– We should not look around to compare ourselves with others; but should examine ourselves to see what we can do with God’s given gifts. He gave each one gifts according to our ability, the more He gave the more of profit He would expect. The important point is not on a profit, but on diligently working and faithful living according to His trust.
– If we live according to His trust, He will give us more and bestow on us many other blessings; but if we are slothful, complaining and lazy, He will take away all and we will have to weep and to gnash our teeth.