Sep
Monday, 22 September – A Double-Edged Sword
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Proverbs 3:27-34
Do not refuse a kindness to anyone who begs it,
if it is in your power to perform it.
Do not say to your neighbour, ‘Go away! Come another time!
I will give it you tomorrow’, if you can do it now.
Do not plot harm against your neighbour
as he lives unsuspecting next door.
Do not pick a groundless quarrel with a man
who has done you no harm.
Do not emulate the man of violence,
never model your conduct on his;
for the wilful wrong-doer is abhorrent to the Lord,
who confides only in honest men.
The Lord’s curse lies on the house of the wicked,
but he blesses the home of the virtuous.
He mocks those who mock,
but accords his favour to the humble.
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Luke 8:19-21
Jesus said: ‘No one lights a lamp to cover it with a bowl or to put it under a bed. No, he puts it on a lamp-stand so that people may see the light when they come in. For nothing is hidden but it will be made clear, nothing secret but it will be known and brought to light. So take care how you hear; for anyone who has will be given more; from anyone who has not, even what he thinks he has will be taken away.’
The just will live in the presence of the Lord
The importance of treasuring one’s talents and skills was brought home to me during an incident in my undergraduate years. I had a friend in the altar servers for five years who always bemoaned his lack of any useful skill in church. Our parish was tasked with organizing a major Archdiocesan liturgical event and my friend was selected to be the head of the liturgical sub-committee where his past experience was tapped. That experience played a pivotal role in letting my friend consider the call of God to the priestly life.
It seems that God has a way to manifest our talents to those around us when we least expect it. Jesus tells us in today’s Gospel that we must make a point to use our talents wisely. God-given talents such as an articulate tongue, a mind that is exposed to critical thinking or even physical strength can be abused as mentioned in the first reading. Our talents can be used for many purposes and it lies within us the decision to choose what we want to use it for.
God can very simply take these gifts away from us just as he has given it to us. The difference is in the manner in which we use them. The Psalmist tells us the steps by which we should use these gifts: “…to act with justice and speak the truth from his heart; he who does not slander with his tongue.” The reward for doing so would be the reward of being able to live with God for all eternity.
(Today’s sharing by Nicholas Chia)
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Prayer: Lord, help us to be able to use your gifts to glorify your name.
Thanksgiving: We give thanks for the people who enable us to discover the talents that we have in us.
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Upcoming Readings:
Tuesday, 23 September – Proverbs 21:1-6, Luke 8:19-21; Pio of Pietrelcina, priest
Wednesday, 24 September – Proverbs 30:5-9; Luke 9:1-6
Thursday, 25 September – Ecclesiastes 1:2-11, Luke 9:1-6
Friday, 26 September - Ecclesiastes 3:1-11, Luke 9:18-22
Saturday, 27 September – Ecclesiastes 11:9-12:8, Luke 9:43-45
Sunday, 287 September -Ezekiel 18:25-28, Philippians 2:1-11, Matthew 21:28-32; Twenty-Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
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