“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant?” – Matthew 24:45

You and I have seen talented people, famous and ordinary alike, who wasted their lives by being addicted to the pleasures of the world. You and I have also seen talented people who wasted their talents by not using them. Now I admire those who use their talents for His glory like Bro. Bo and Kerygma editor, Rissa Singson.

But I admire more the lesser known people who, without getting any recognition, continue to use and cultivate whatever talents they have received from God.

In our village, a brother and a sister, both very good-looking and talented, chose to put up a pre-school instead of pursuing less stressful but financially rewarding careers. They both love kids, and I have seen that the kids relate to them superbly. Shy kids bloom in their care. My own nieces and nephews, now in highschool, still regard them as their “Teacher Charo and Teacher Joey.”

What they are doing may not be recorded in the newspapers, but to the children whose young minds they nurtured, they have well made their mark. For that, I am sure many parents are grateful. But more than anybody else, I believe that Someone up there is smiling at His faithful servants. Tess VA.

REFLECTION:

How are you using your God-given talents?

Lord, may I rejoice in the talents You have given me by using them for Your greater glory.  

1 Thessalonians 3:7-13

It seems Paul encountered many difficulties and trials in his work as an apostle. He thanks the Thessalonians for the support they have been to him. Life in the service  of the Church will always have its struggles and trials, but these tend to be nothing in comparison with the benefits and the joys associated with seeing people converted and growing in their faith. 7 We have been reassured about you, brothers, in our every distress and affliction, through your faith. 8 For we now live, if you stand firm in the Lord. 9 What thanksgiving, then, can we render to God for you, for all the joy we feel on your account before our God? 10 Night and day we pray beyond measure to see you in person and to remedy the deficiencies of your faith. 11 Now may God himself, our Father, and our Lord Jesus direct our way to you, 12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, just as we have for you, 13 so as to strengthen your hearts, to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his holy ones. Amen.

P S A L M

Psalm 90:3-4, 12-13, 14, 17

R: Fill us with your love, O Lord, and we will sing for joy!

3 You turn man back to dust, saying, “Return, O children of men.” 4 For a thousand years in your sight are as yesterday, now that it is past, or as a watch of the night. (R) 12 Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain wisdom of heart. 13 Return, O LORD! How long? Have pity on your servants! (R) 14 Fill us at daybreak with your kindness, that we may shout for joy and gladness all our days. 17 And may the gracious care of the Lord our God be ours; prosper the work of our hands for us! Prosper the work of our hands! (R)

G O S P E L

Matthew 24:42-51

Always be ready for the unexpected. This is great advice for anyone working in the service of the Kingdom of God. I think that God is one, if not the most unpredictable, of masters. He always seems to be able to bring something unexpected out of the most predictable situations. There is nothing that we can do about this except try to adapt when necessary. One thing is for sure, working for the Lord is never going to be boring!

42 “Stay awake! For you do not know on which day your Lord will come. 43 Be sure of this: if the master of the house had known the hour of night when the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and not let his house be broken into. 44 So too, you also must be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come. 45 “Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household to distribute to them their food at the proper time? 46 Blessed is  that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so. 47 Amen, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. 48 But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is long delayed,’ 49 and begins to beat his fellow servants, and eat and drink with drunkards, 50 the servant’s master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour 51 and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”

my reflections

think: Always be ready for the unexpected.

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God’s special verse/thought for me today________________

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T O D A Y ’ S BLESSING LIST

Thank You Lord for: ____________________________________

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READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR Ezekiel 25-28

Vigilance is an essential and often forgotten aspect of our walk of faith. If we fail to be vigilant, Satan will find it very easy to infect our lives with his lies and lead us astray from the truth. Vigilance is primarily a function of prayer and reading the Scriptures and any other sort of true spiritual formation as being grounded fully in the truths of our faith is the best defense against the lies of Satan.

It takes a lot of effort to develop a truly vigilant lifestyle that will protect us against the lies of sin. The best place to begin is with a committed prayer-life. If we pray daily and truly allow God to form our hearts in His ways, we will have begun to develop a protection against temptation. If we further this with meditating on the Word of God in the Scriptures, we will reinforce all that the Spirit of God is teaching us in prayer. If we then add the Teachings of the Church to this, we will soon develop an impenetrable armor to the fiery darts and lies of Satan. The only way that armor will be pierced is if we choose to let down our guard and allow him in.

Another aspect of vigilance is preparing ourselves for the Second Coming of Christ. Our faith is meant to be active, that is, we should always be seeking ways in which we can put our faith into action and live it out on a daily basis. In this way we both present a living witness of the truth to the world and we prepare our lives to welcome Jesus when He comes again.

We should not develop an unhealthy focus on the Second Coming which would lead us to seeking times and dates. Suffice it to say it will happen. For all intents and purposes, the latest date for the Second Coming is our death, as after that time we no longer can choose to change our way of life. When we die, that is it as far as preparing for eternal life is concerned. Let us make every moment of our lives count as we prepare for the gift of eternal life. Fr. Steve T.

REFLECTION QUESTION: Have I established a regular and healthy practice of praying daily and meditating upon the Word of God? If not, what am I going to do to put these things in place in my life?

Father, You gently call me to Yourself every day. Let me hear Your call and grant me the grace to consistently respond to it.

St. Peter of Trevi, priest and confessor, pray for us.