The Word God Spells

Matthew 25: 14-30
1 Cor 1: 26-31 / Ps 33: 12-13, 18-21

‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with small things; I will put you in charge of greater things. Come and share your master’s joy!’
(Matthew 25:23)

For the talents You’re entrusting
May we gainfully parlay,
So that we may be deserving
Of Your joy on Judgment Day.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to a third one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went away. The man who received five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. ‘Master, you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with small things; I will put you in charge of greater things. Come and share your master’s joy!’ The man with the two talents also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.’ His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with small things; I will put you in charge of greater things. Come and share your master’s joy!’ Then the man who had received the one talent came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. Here it is back.’ His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered? Should you not then have put my money in the bank, so that when I returned I could have got it back with interest? Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. And throw this useless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.’ (Matthew 25:14-30)

Reflection

Jesus related this third parable two days before He was to enter Jerusalem to fulfill His life’s mission, and leave His apostles to continue His work of redemption. In truth, He was the Master going away, and His return to settle accounts with His servants would be the Last Judgment (His last parable), where He would “separate the sheep from the goats” (25:33).

Like the two earlier parables (Faithful and Unfaithful Servants, & Parable of the Ten Virgins), the predominant message is diligence in service. In this third parable however, Jesus adds the value of talents. In ancient times, the talent was a measure of gold or silver, roughly weighing 30 to 40 kilograms. Although its actual worth would be hard to guess today, the talent in the parable clearly represented a large amount of money. The prudent master gave his servants varying amounts according to their abilities, and sure enough, the servant with the least ability did not produce anything with his talent. It is clear to see that the talents in the parable do not represent our God-given gifts or abilities. Instead, they are simply the equivalent of opportunities that God sends our way for us to make full use of our talents.

As servants in God’s household, we are all given different opportunities according to the call of our ministry. Some of us are gifted with a melodious voice or prowess with a musical instrument, so God gives us the opportunity to praise Him in harmonious songs. Some of us are gifted speakers, and so we have the privilege of giving testimony to God’s saving grace in our transformed lives. Some of us have the ability to give good counsel, so we should not wonder when people with emotional troubles find their way to our doors. Even problems not of our own making may turn out to be opportunities for our spiritual growth. So, if ever we feel that we are taking on more responsibilities than the next guy, we should not complain, but instead, we should rejoice, “For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance.” With faith in His Word, we can only share in our Master’s joy!

Lord, it is because of Your love, and the talents that You have given us that we serve You in our ministry. Teach us to be more discerning in every event that comes our way, to know whether it is an opportunity to propagate Your love, or merely for our own aggrandizement. We ask this in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Mark 6: 17-29
1 Cor 1: 17-25 / Ps 33: 1-2, 4-5, 10-11

Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist.
(Matthew 11:11)

St. John the Baptist is our model,
For truth his life he sacrificed;
Let his courage be our example,
To be a herald for Jesus Christ.

On the prodding of Herodias, Herod gave orders to have John arrested, and put in prison. It was because John had been telling Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled; yet he liked to listen to him. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. The daughter of Herodias came in and danced, pleasing Herod and his dinner guests. The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” He even made an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.” She went to her mother, “What shall I ask for?” She answered, “The head of John the Baptist.” At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptist on a dish.” The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he could not refuse her. So he promptly sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, and brought his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. (Mark 6: 17-29)

Reflection

Today we commemorate the martyrdom of St. John the Baptist. St. John was the first and foremost martyred witness of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is also regarded in Biblical history as the last prophet of the Old Testament to herald the coming Messiah. He is therefore the bridge between the Old and the New Testaments, and rightly occupies the exalted position of being the greatest of all the prophets. And this was not because he happened to be the cousin of Jesus Christ. It was simply because of his humility, and his great courage to speak out for the truth. Jesus praised him, saying, “Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist” (Mt.11:11).

Ominously, Jesus also predicted St. John’s fate when He said, “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force” (Mt. 11:12). Although he was the most gentle of Christ’s prophets, his life was caught inextricably in a web of illicit relations, intrigue, incarceration and violent death. During his time, St. John played his role as the conscience of the people. He was not afraid to tell the Pharisees and Sadducees who came to him for baptism, “You brood of vipers!” (Mt.3:7) And to chastise Herod, saying, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” (Mk. 6:18) It was inevitable therefore that Herodias, that adulterous woman, would not only scheme to get him imprisoned, but would use his own daughter and Herod’s drunkenness or misplaced honor to have St. John killed.

Today’s Gospel passage does not purport to show that evil can triumph over good. It never does and it never will. St. John’s martyrdom serves as an example for all Christians to stand for the truth, even to the point of death. His death in fact laid bare the social evils of those in power: adultery, revenge, false pride, cowardice and murder. Martyrdom means victory in the kingdom of God, just as these social evils spell defeat for the souls they ensnare.

Father God, we give You praise for the life of Your great saint, St. John the Baptist. May his example be our inspiration to fight for the truth and never to compromise it. Amen.

Matthew 24: 42-51
1 Cor 1: 1-9 / Ps 145: 2-7

If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.
(Matthew 24:43)

Let not our will by sin be swayed,
Be resolute and firm in Christ;
His judgment will not be delayed,
Be steadfast to receive His prize.

“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him. Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
(Matthew 24: 42-51)

Reflection

I believe the main reason why Jesus would rather not reveal His Second Coming was for all the faithful to be always vigilant – not necessarily to watch for His return – but to guard against complacency and negligence, and the devious schemes and traps of the evil one.

All Christians believe in the Resurrection at the last day, because this is the hope nurtured by our faith in God’s Word. But God does not want us to just sit and wait; He wants us to be on our toes, ready at all times to spring into action when it is called for.

How are we expected to be vigilant at all times? First of all, by constant communication with God in fervent prayer. Temptation does not come near to a person who is absorbed in deep prayer. Secondly, by meditative reading of the Word of God, especially the Gospels. We may not be conscious of it at first, but the indwelling Spirit will bring the power of the Holy Scriptures into our lives once we make reading the Bible a daily habit. Thirdly, the reception of the sacraments makes for a strong deterrent against “taking it easy” with our faith. The sacrament of Reconciliation cleans our minds and hearts of all doubts and recriminations, and the Holy Eucharist gives our spirit the nourishment and strength it needs to be vigilant. Last, but not the least, let us be active in our renewal community. There is nothing like a support group that inspires and encourages us to be steadfast in our faith. We all need each other in our Brotherhood because we draw strength from one another. Let us therefore take advantage of this special privilege given to us by the Lord.

Dear God, as we await the Second Coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ, we pray for Your Mighty Hand to shield us from the enticements of this world, that we may remain alert for Him until the Last Day. Amen.

Matthew 23: 27-32
2 Thes 3: 6-10, 16-18 / Ps 128: 1-2, 4-5

Woe to you, scribes and pharisees, you hypocrites. You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and every kind of filth.
(Matthew 23:27)

Don’t be deceived by what may seem
So innocent, no trace of guilt . . .
Remember those who lie and scheme
Are whitewashed tombs hiding their filth.

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers!” (Matthew 23: 27-32)

Reflection

Our Lord showed us how much He loves the meek and gentle of heart, those who humble themselves, those who make themselves least by serving others. And on the other hand, in chapter 23 of Matthew’s Gospel, we witness how much He detested the scribes and Pharisees for their hypocrisy and self-righteous pride. Our Lord’s condemnation of hypocrisy is understandable, considering that this character flaw is the greatest obstacle to one’s repentance, without which one can never undergo genuine conversion.

Hypocrisy is such a subtle sin that a lot of people are not aware of being hypocritical in their attitude towards others. Being judgmental about another person in any way is a form of hypocrisy, because “the measure with which we measure will be measured out to us.” (Mt.7:1) Erroneous upbringing can also lead us to bias and prejudice, another form of hypocrisy. Without any malice, we just don’t feel like associating with certain types of people, because we don’t feel comfortable with their presence; they bore us to death; they lack some social graces, etc. In fact, people who say that they don’t like to behave like good Christians because they don’t want to be called hypocrites are in fact being hypocritical.

Jesus warned His disciples to “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” (Lk.12:1) Yeast expands the bread, but makes it empty inside; so does hypocrisy make people bloat with pride, and makes their faith empty. Our Lord warns us to take care that we are not influenced by the hypocrisy of others, because as said earlier, pride and prejudice are very subtle sins that the scheming Satan can cause to pervade in our community of believers. St. Peter and Barnabas themselves were accused of hypocrisy for avoiding meals with Gentile Christians when the Jewish Christians from Jerusalem were present (Gal.2:11-13). We must therefore always be on guard against the impurity of our motives, such as pride, selfishness, envy, and hatred. These are the offsprings of hypocrisy, and against all these, the best antidote is a humble spirit. Cultivate humility, the sweetest fragrance that is most pleasing to our God.

Keep me from being self-righteous, Lord God; remind me that all the good that I do are through no efforts of mine, because they all come from You. Amen.

Matthew 23: 23-26
2 Thes 2: 1-3a. 14-17 / Ps 96: 10-13

You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin, but have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity.
(Matthew 23:23)

What lies within is what is real,
And no amount of scheme or stealth
Can hide that time will not reveal,
Lord, give our souls clean bill of health.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin, but have neglected the weightier things of the law: judgment and mercy and fidelity. These things you ought to have done without neglectig the others. Blind guides, who strain out the gnat and swallow the camel! Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites. You cleanse the outside of cup and dish, but inside they are full of plunder and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, that the outside may also be clean.” (Matthew 23:23-26)

Reflection

Many Christians find it hard to show their true nature by their natural appearance, and resort to hiding behind facades of virtues that often do not match the person within. That’s because it is easier to manage our externals than it is in dealing with our perceived flaws that we would rather prefer hidden.

It is hard to believe that even Mother Teresa, who was recently featured in Time magazine, kept a deep secret of spiritual dryness and psychological pain during most of her lifetime when her accomplishments appeared to be clear manifestations of her closeness to God. For almost 50 years, according to her letters to various confessors, she was “living out a very different spiritual reality privately, an arid landscape from which (God) had disappeared.” In a new book entitled, Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light, her letters revealed that for the last almost half-century of her life, God was “neither in her heart nor in the Eucharist.” At one time, the “dryness,” “darkness,” and “torture” she was undergoing almost drove her to doubt the existence of heaven and even of God. Being acutely aware of this discrepancy between her inner state and her public demeanor, she wrote that her smile was just “a mask” or “a cloak that covers everything,” and as she told an adviser, “If you were (there), you would have said, ‘What hypocrisy.’” (Time Magazine, August 24, 2007)

And yet, what made Mother Teresa truly a great saint was that despite her spiritual torments, she never neglected the weightier things of the law, judging herself severely, lest she fell into self-righteousness, continuously practicing works of mercy for the poor and the dying, and being faithful to God and her vocation even in her “darkest night of the soul.” She remained clean inside and outside the cup and dish.

Mother Teresa has shown us that human as we are, there will always be doubts, just as there will always be flaws in our character. But as long as we judge our own behavior (not other people), show mercy to others, and be faithful to Christ come what may, then our outer physical appearance will be as clean as our soul within.

Lord, You have probed me, You know me: You know when I sit and when I stand; You understand my thoughts from afar (Psa.139:1-2), far better than I know myself. Deal with me then as You will, so that my cup and dish will always be clean. Amen.

Matthew 23: 13-22
2 Thes 1: 1-5. 11-12 / Ps 96: 1-5

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites!
(Matthew 23:13)

No oaths can bind lies and deceits,
When made by ‘scribes and Pharisees’;
When remedied by hypocrites
The cure is worse than the disease;

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You lock the kingdom of heaven before men; you do not enter yourselves, nor allow those who would enter to go in” … “Woe to you, blind guides, who say, `If any one swears by the temple, it is nothing; but if any one swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.’ You blind fools! For which is greater, the gold or the temple that has made the gold sacred?” … “So he who swears by the altar, swears by it and by everything on it; and he who swears by the temple, swears by it and by Him who dwells in it; and he who swears by heaven, swears by the throne of God and by Him who sits upon it.” (Mt. 23:13,16-17,20-22)

Reflection

Hypocrisy is the act of putting up a front of being morally better than what we really are. It is also about condemning another person for an act of which the critic is also guilty of. The word ‘hypocrisy’ comes from the Greek word hypokrisis, which means “play-acting” or “feigning”. It applied to all kinds of public performances, (including the art of oratory). Hypokrites (stage actors) were not considered suitable for public office. (Hmm, sounds familiar.) In the 4th Century BC, the great Greek orator, Demosthenes ridiculed his rival Aeschines, a successful actor before going into politics, as a hypokrites whose skill at impersonation (acting) made him an untrustworthy politician. In effect, Demosthenes demonstrated his own hypocrisy.

All of us are guilty of being hypocritical in different measures at one time or another. We wear different masks to manage our image in various occasions or circumstances.
How often do we realize the difference in persona we play when we are entertaining important guests or clients and the way we treat our employees or househelp? Or our attitude towards beggars outside the church who beg for a few Pesos (after we have put a hundred Pesos in the offertory collection)?

The antidote for hypocrisy are two words that also begin with the letter h. They are honesty and humility. Jesus condemned the Pharisees because of their propensity for making oaths. A person who has to resort to oath-taking instead of a simple yes or no cannot be counted to speak honestly under normal circumstances. Jesus does not prohibit taking formal vows and oaths. It is how we casually substitute vows and oaths for honest speech that He tells us to guard against. For it is when we break a vow or oath (wittingly or unwittingly) that we ourselves become vulnerable to the the prince of lies, who is quick to take advantage of the weakened human condition.

Hypocrisy is an offspring of pride, and the other antidote against it is humility. This is the nobility of character wherein one refuses to accept that he is better or more righteous than others. Jesus said, “Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” (Mt.23:12) In today’s mass, the homily of the priest finally enlightened me about what our Lord meant when He said, “Enter through the narrow gate” (Mt.7:13). It is by making ourselves ‘small’ that we can easily pass through the narrow gate. Those puffed up with hypocrisy can never do so.

Lord, help us to be honest and humble in all our ways, that we may never have need for masks or be chained by oaths we have to keep. We are all sinners, and have no cause to be proud; mere stewards who must be upright in all our pledges. Amen.