Here are links to our readings for the day:
English: http://usccb.org/bible/readings/111820.cfm
Spanish: http://usccb.org/bible/lecturas/111820.cfm
Kingdom of God
This is Luke’s version of the Parable of the Talents. It starts off in a strange way. We are told that the people accompanying Jesus think that the Kingdom of God is going to appear immediately. Jesus uses this parable to take their mind off that idea.
The nobleman is off to another country to be made king over the territory he lives in. He calls ten servants and gives each one a gold coin telling them to engage in trade. Apparently, some of the people who received the gold coin were not overly thrilled with this nobleman becoming king. (sounds like some people who are not thrilled about the new president). The unhappy people protest, sending notice that they do not want this nobleman as their king (an ancient form of protest?).
When the new king comes back, he only works with three of the original ten. One servant managed his one gold coin in trading to grow to ten; a second servant earned five; and the third hid the coin making nothing at all.
The servants who managed the wealth were given more. Those who did nothing with the original gold coin fared far worse than in Matthew’s parable. This all leads to a question that we should consider. Yes, we are to make use of what we have and produce fruit for the Kingdom of God. But why would this parable change your mind if you thought the Kingdom of God was coming immediately? We need to know a little history of the time. Herod was not Jewish. But was the governor of Jerusalem and Israel. He wanted to be king. To do this, he had to travel to Rome to be made king by Caesar. The Jewish people did not want him as king, so they sent a contingency to protest to Caesar. The protest did not work. When Herod returns as king, he congratulates those who were industrious and slays the others. The people following Jesus begin to understand Jesus is not coming to usurp Herod, but to inaugurate a new kingdom, the Kingdom of God.
God has given us gifts. The best way to honor God is to use your gifts to the best of your ability, then return them to God.
May the Lord bless you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Fr Ed Anderson
Email: fatheredanderson[at]gmail.com
Phone: 715.817.3736
St. Joseph Church – Rice Lake
Holy Trinity – Haugen
St. John the Evangelist – Birchwood
Our Lady of Lourdes – Dobie
