PROS AND CONS

We may never come to fully understand those saints who have chosen to abandon everything even their own lives just to uphold their faith in God. What made them do the things they did made us all wonder. Today's 1st reading is another unbelievable story of great faith in God. We can all draw inspiration from the life of these people who have totally dedicated their lives to God. They have left behind a great example of their lives for us to learn from and follow. They were able to see beyond the here and now and look forward to spending life in eternity with God. Amen. Hallelujah!

2 Maccabees 7:1. 20-31 (or Acts 28:11-16, 30-31)
...Most admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance was the mother, who saw her seven sons perish in a single day, yet bore it courageously because of her hope in the Lord. 21 Filled with a noble spirit that stirred her womanly heart with manly courage, she exhorted each of them in the language of their forefathers with these words:22 “I do not know how you came into existence in my womb; it was not I who gave you the breath of life, nor was it I who set in order the elements of which each of you is composed. 23 Therefore, since it is the Creator of the universe who shapes each man’s beginning, as he brings about the origin of everything, he, in his mercy, will give you back both breath and life, because you now disregard yourselves for the sake of his law.”

In this present time when we are still bound to this world we may not be able to fully comprehend the glory that awaits those who live life in the presence of our God and hope in that eternal life to come but we who are faithful will experience joy in full when His glory appears. There are times when we are being tested by the Lord to a point of almost giving up. But we simply and definitely must not as stated in the Psalm reading. Amen. Hallelujah!

P S A L M
Psalm 17:1bcd. 5-6. 8b and 15 (or Psalm 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4, 5-6)
R: Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.
1 Hear, O LORD, a just suit; attend to my outcry; hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit. (R) 5 My steps have been steadfast in your paths, my feet have not faltered. 6 I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my word. (R) 8 Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings. 15 But I in justice shall behold your face; on waking, I shall be content in your presence.

Our God is an all or nothing God. It's either you are with Him or against Him because there is no in between. We've got to make a stand whether we are really for God in all aspects of our life. We can never be a half hearted Christian or a Sunday Catholic but not for the rest of the days. Sometimes we think that we can fool God by not totally committing to Him and still think that we can play safe by continuously patronizing both worlds that of God's and the enemy. Today's parable shows us what will happen if we do not take the right course of action and fail to make the right move. In the end, we have to be ready for the pros and cons of our action. The Lord is a just God and will reward us according to his riches and glory. Let us never doubt a single minute that whatever we are working for at this present time will never be in vain if we offer everything to God. Whatever it is that we devote our time, money and effort, we often hear this question, "Is it worth it?" God is always worth it. After all these things are done, may we find ourselves in the shoes of the trusted servant in the gospel. Let us pray that we'll not end up like this unworthy servant that even the little he had was taken away. May the Lord find us worthy of the blessings He has given us and we continue to cultivate whatever is entrusted to us, be it a big or small blessing and find ourselves bearing fruit for the greater glory of God. Sometimes we commit the same mistakes over and over again and we never seem to learn. There has got to be a time when we have to learn and change for the better. We just can't keep on doing it and be sorry for it repeatedly and not change the vicious pattern. Eventually we will have to take responsibility for all those things and suffer the consequences. Today's gospel is more of a reminder that we can't get away with things by playing around the rules. It has to be clear for us what specific course of action we have to take. Or else we might end up in trouble with the game we wanted to play and find out that the trick is on us. As in Jesus' words from the gospel, "‘With your own words I shall condemn you,..." We can't expect to get away with something that we are responsible of. We need to realize that the servant who was punished by being deprived of even the little he has was not totally wicked as compared to those who despised the master, don't want him as king and rallied against him. This servant was discreet enough, so he thought, not to make any bold or open move as to announce publicly that he dislike the master. He is neutral in the sense that he still accepted the gold coin entrusted to him but decided not to do anything about it. He was punished not for doing something bad like the enemies of the master or for what he did but for what he did not do. Sometimes we think that by being neutral, not making a stand or playing safe is safe enough. Well it isn't. The Lord encourages us to take an active part in our salvation. It is something that we have to respond in the most enthusiastic, productive and effective way just like those 2 other servants who were entrusted with more. Now this is safe enough. Amen. Hallelujah!

Luke 19:11-28
...“A nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return. 13 He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’ 14 His fellow citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to announce, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.’ 15 But when he returned after obtaining the kingship, he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money, to learn what they had gained by trading. 16 The first came forward and said, ‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’ 17 He replied, ‘Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.’ 18 Then the second came and reported, ‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’ 19 And to this servant too he said, ‘You, take charge of five cities.’ 20 Then the other servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief, 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding person; you take up what you did not lay down and you harvest what you did not plant.’ 22 He said to him, ‘With your own words I shall condemn you, you wicked servant. You knew I was a demanding person, taking up what I did not lay down and harvesting what I did not plant; 23 why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’ 24 And to those standing by he said, ‘Take the gold coin from him and give it to the servant who has ten.’ 25 But they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’ 26 ‘I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 27 Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king, bring them here and slay them before me.’ ”