Beloved Brothers and Sisters, As Good and Faithful Stewards we have to be Grateful, Responsible and Generous with All GOD has Entrusted to US. From the Heart, Fr. Heart, SVD

1. Welcome to our Bible Study
33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time A
19 November 2017
In preparation for this Sunday’s Liturgy
In aid of focusing our homilies and sharing
Prepared by Fr. Cielo R. Almazan, OFM

2. 1st reading: Proverbs 31:10-13.19-20.30-31
 10 When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far
beyond pearls. 11 Her husband, entrusting his heart to
her, has an unfailing prize. 12 She brings him good, and
not evil, all the days of her life. 13 She obtains wool and
flax and makes cloth with skillful hands.
 19 She puts her hands to the distaff, and her fingers ply
the spindle. 20 She reaches out her hands to the poor,
and extends her arms to the needy.
 30 Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting; the woman
who fears the LORD is to be praised. 31 Give her a
reward of her labors, and let her works praise her at the
city gates.
The focus is on a worthy wife.

3. 1st reading: Proverbs 31:10-13,19-20,30-31
 10 When one finds a
worthy wife, her value is far
beyond pearls. 11 Her
husband, entrusting his
heart to her, has an
unfailing prize. 12 She
brings him good, and not
evil, all the days of her life.
13 She obtains wool and
flax and makes cloth with
skillful hands.
 19 She puts her hands to
the distaff, and her fingers
ply the spindle. 20 She
reaches out her hands to
the poor, and extends her
arms to the needy.
 30 Charm is deceptive and
beauty fleeting; the woman
who fears the LORD is to
be praised. 31 Give her a
reward of her labors, and
let her works praise her at
the city gates.
Commentary:
 V.10 says a man is lucky if he finds a worthy
wife.
– She is more valuable than pearls.
 V.11 is parallel to v.10.
– His wife is priceless.
Actions of the worthy wife:
 She brings her husband good (v.12)
 She obtains wool, makes cloth (v.13)
 She puts her hands // her fingers (she
weaves) (parallelism) (v.19)
 She reaches out… to the poor // extends… to
the needy (parallelism) (v.20)
V.30 contrasts the attributes of a worthy wife to
charm (deceptive) // beauty (fleeting,
temporary). (parallelism)
Hirit pa: the woman who fears the Lord, is to be
praised
 V.31 gives a tall order: Give her a reward// let
her works praise her… (parallelism)

4. Reflections on the 1st reading
 It is important for man to find a good wife.
 A good wife is a true treasure. She is priceless.
 A good wife is one who is responsible, hard
working, practical, and has a heart for the poor
(sense of justice).
 A good wife does not cause her husband his
downfall.
 A good wife does not need to be charming and
beautiful. Looks can be deceptive.
 A good wife is God-fearing.
 She deserves a reward and recognition from all of
us.
 Is there still a woman who is like this?

5. Resp. Ps 128:1-2. 3. 4-5
 R. (cf. 1a) Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
 1 Blessed are you who fear the LORD,
who walk in his ways!
2 For you shall eat the fruit of your handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
 3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine
in the recesses of your home;
Your children like olive plants
around your table.
 4 Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
5 The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of Jerusalem
all the days of your life.

6. Resp. Ps 128:1-2, 3, 4-5
 R. (cf. 1a) Blessed are those
who fear the Lord.
 1 Blessed are you who fear the
LORD, who walk in his ways!
2 For you shall eat the fruit of your
handiwork;
blessed shall you be, and favored.
 3 Your wife shall be like a fruitful
vine in the recesses of your home;
Your children like olive plants
around your table.
 4 Behold, thus is the man blessed
who fears the LORD.
5 The LORD bless you from Zion:
may you see the prosperity of
Jerusalem
all the days of your life.
Commentary
 In v.1, the psalmist recognizes
those who fear God as blessed.
 Vv.2-3 enumerate the blessings of
walking in God’s ways (fearing
God):
 To eat the fruit of your work, v.2
 Your wife shall be fruitful, v.3
 Your children shall be like olive
plants, v.3
 V.4 repeats the idea of v.1.
 V.5 indicates the place from where
we are blessed: from
Zion/Jerusalem.
 To be blessed is to prosper.

7. Reflections on the Psalm
 We should fear the Lord (refrain from
violating his laws).
 To fear God is to walk in his ways.
 Blessed (happy, fortunate) are we if we fear
God.
 God promises us his blessings.
– Abundant food
– Joy
– Healthy children
– Healthy environment

8. 2nd reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6
 1 Concerning times and seasons, brothers, you
have no need for anything to be written to you.
2 For you yourselves know very well that the
day of the Lord will come like a thief at night. 3
When people are saying, "Peace and security,"
then sudden disaster comes upon them, like
labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they
will not escape. 4 But you, brothers, are not in
darkness, for that day to overtake you like a
thief. 5 For all of you are children of the light
and children of the day. We are not of the night
or of darkness. 6 Therefore, let us not sleep as
the rest do, but let us stay alert and sober.
The focus is on the day of the LORD.

9. 2nd reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6
 1 Concerning times and
seasons, brothers, you have
no need for anything to be
written to you. 2 For you
yourselves know very well
that the day of the Lord will
come like a thief at night. 3
When people are saying,
"Peace and security," then
sudden disaster comes upon
them, like labor pains upon a
pregnant woman, and they
will not escape. 4 But you,
brothers, are not in darkness,
for that day to overtake you
like a thief. 5 For all of you
are children of the light and
children of the day. We are
not of the night or of
darkness. 6 Therefore, let us
not sleep as the rest do, but
let us stay alert and sober.
Commentary
 In v.1 St. Paul talks about times
and seasons (time of the Lord).
 V.2 spells out what Paul really
means. “The day of the Lord.”
 “The day of the Lord” comes like a
thief at night.
– It means it comes without warning.
It is unexpected.
 The proper action is vigilance.
 V.3 further explains how to prepare
for “the day of the Lord.”
 People should not be naïve to
believe what other people (ignorant
of God’s mysteries and plans) say.
 Those people do not know what
they are doing are living in
darkness. They mislead.

10. 2nd reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6
 1 Concerning times and
seasons, brothers, you have
no need for anything to be
written to you. 2 For you
yourselves know very well
that the day of the Lord will
come like a thief at night. 3
When people are saying,
"Peace and security," then
sudden disaster comes upon
them, like labor pains upon a
pregnant woman, and they
will not escape. 4 But you,
brothers, are not in darkness,
for that day to overtake you
like a thief. 5 For all of you
are children of the light and
children of the day. We are
not of the night or of
darkness. 6 Therefore, let us
not sleep as the rest do, but
let us stay alert and sober.
 In v.4, Paul says that the
Thessalonians do not live in
darkness. They will not be
overtaken by “that day.”
 By virtue of their faith, they
are children of the day and
light. V.5
 V.6 exhorts the Christians to
be vigilant, alert and sober.
 Those who are in darkness
sleep and get drunk.
 They don’t care about their
future.

11. Reflections on the 2nd reading
 “The day of the Lord” is the end of time.
 For Paul, time is not only the past, present and
future, but also the end.
 It is the second coming of Jesus Christ (parousia
for the theologians)
 The thought of the end should help Christians to
lead moral lives.
 The second coming of Jesus brings judgment to
the unrepentant sinner, but salvation to the just
and vigilant.
 The reading reminds us, people of today, who
seldom think about the end of the world, that
there is such a thing as, the end.

12. Gospel reading: Mt 25:14-30 or 25:14-15. 19-21
The man entrusting his talents
 14 A man who was going on a journey called in his
servants and entrusted his possessions to them. 15 To
one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one -
- to each according to his ability. Then he went away.
Immediately 16 the one who received five talents went
and traded with them, and made another five. 17
Likewise, the one who received two made another two.
18 1 But the man who received one went off and dug a
hole in the ground and buried his master's money.

13. The faithful servant with 5 talents more
 19 After a long time the master of those servants came
back and settled accounts with them. 20 The one who had
received five talents came forward bringing the additional
five. He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents. See, I
have made five more.' 21 His master said to him, 'Well
done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful
in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.'
The faithful servant with 2 talents more
 22 (Then) the one who had received two talents also came
forward and said, 'Master, you gave me two talents. See, I
have made two more.' 23 His master said to him, 'Well
done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful
in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master's joy.'

14. The unfaithful servant without any gain
 24 Then the one who had received the one talent came
forward and said, 'Master, I knew you were a demanding
person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering
where you did not scatter; 25 so out of fear I went off and
buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.' 26 His
master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So
you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather
where I did not scatter? 27 Should you not then have put
my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with
interest on my return? 28 Now then! Take the talent from
him and give it to the one with ten. 29 1 For to everyone
who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but
from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken
away. 30 And throw this useless servant into the darkness
outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'

15. Commentary
 The parable is entitled “The Parable of the Talents.”
 St. Matthew places this parable towards the end of his
gospel, along with the parables concerning the end of the
world, before the passion narrative. (Matthew 25)
 There is a pattern: 1st servant, 2nd servant, 3rd servant
(also in entrusting, in responding, and in accounting)
 The 3rd servant (the lazy one) receives longer “footage,”
more attention than the others.
 The gospel seemingly promotes “capitalism.” (bank, interest,
making more money), but, that is not the point.
 The teaching (saying in v. 29) needs more explanation. It is a
warning to those who do not produce anything. It is a
kind of stripping (recalling) of anything that is left in an
unproductive person.

16.  To entrust one’s property (huge amount) to
servants is not a joke.
 Imagine: 1 talent = laborer’s wage for 15 years
– Today’s minimum wage and ECOLA = Php 404 x 24
days x 12 months x 15 years = Php 1,745,280.00.
(Php 1.7M)

17. Reflections on the gospel reading
 God has entrusted us with many gifts. We are
fully equipped to be productive.
 The gifts must be used, developed and
multiplied.
 God recognizes the capacity of each one and
expects each one to perform accordingly.
 God is prodigious and lavish in entrusting.
Exaggerated even. Unbelievable, very flattering
but hard to take for granted.
 We, too, must impress God in return.
 We don’t squander his gifts by doing nothing.

18.  For God, there is no place for unproductivity. It is
contrary to our being the images and likenesses
of God.
 God considers everyone as capable of producing.
 Punishment awaits those who do not produce
anything in their lives.
 Some people are not productive because of fear
and lack of faith (3rd servant). They don’t trust
anyone, even the ones who can help them.
 God will entrust more things to us if we are
responsive to him.

19. Tying the 3 readings and the Psalm
 The first reading commends a wife, who is
responsible and productive.
 The psalm commends people, who fear the
Lord (being productive).
 The second reading talks about the “Day of
the Lord”, when the Lord comes to reward
those who are productive and to punish the
evildoers.
 The gospel reading talks about rewarding
the productive servants.

20. How to develop your homily / sharing
 The end of time is usually associated
with the second coming of Christ to
judge or reward us according to our
deeds.
 The three readings are strong on
productivity. In order to enter heaven,
we must show diligence. We do good
works.

21.  The first reading praises a wife who is
industrious, diligent and productive.
 She is an asset to her husband.
 It also praises the wife who knows her
priorities.
 She is not concerned about skin-deep
beauty and appearances, but fear of the
Lord.

22.  The second reading warns us to be vigilant
always because we never know when Jesus will
come to judge us.
 Jesus’ coming may be delayed, but still we are
asked to watch our behavior.
 We stay awake and vigilant until the end of days.
 There is no end to waiting and watching.
 Vigilance does not mean doing nothing.
 We will be judged according to our deeds.

23.  The gospel reading greatly rewards those who
respond to God’s challenge, with diligence and
creativity.
 He has entrusted us with a lot of talents and
treasure.
 We must be enterprising when it comes to God’s
interests.
 God recognizes all the efforts we exert.
 God rejects lazy people, who do not contribute
anything good to this planet.
 There is no place for irresponsible people in the
kingdom of God.

24.  In our communities, we can easily spot people
who are accomplishers and who are not.
 The accomplishers work with their minds and
hands. They are usually the quiet type.
 The non-accomplishers talk more. Their glib talks
do not match their actions. They find it hard to
move their bodies to accomplish something.
 They take so much time and energy to accomplish
a small thing, because they are not used to doing.
 When they accomplish something, it is half-baked
and done haphazardly because they are not
convinced they should do it.

25.  The eucharist helps us to be productive.
 In the eucharist, Jesus strengthens us to be
productive as missionaries and evangelizers.
 In the eucharist, we recognize our giftedness
and our ability to do a lot for God and for our
fellow believers.

26. Our Context of Sin and Grace
 Laziness, sloth
 Gets tired easily (needs
physical check up)
 No energy
 Does not find work
 More concerned with
beauty, looks
 Emphasis on external
appearance
 Bad wife (pahamak sa
asawa)
 Creative
 Enterprising
 Responsive
 Accountable
 Spirituality of Stewardship
 Productive
 Inventive, resourceful
 Reads the signs of the
times
 Keen on the best
 Does work with passion.

27. Suggested Songs
 Service
 Ikaw Ngayon Bukas
– http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLXGRycu6ko
 Happy the Man by Sebastian Temple
 Happy is the Man by John Miffleton