November 16,
2016
I’ve never been a saver. When
people say things like, “ We had to dip into our savings to pay for it,” or
“That purchase (of something like an entire kitchen remodel) really depleted
most of our savings,” I generally tilt my head to the side like a dog trying
really hard to understand the words coming out of your mouth. I am good at
stashing money away for an exciting vacation every year, but I absolutely spend
every single penny of that stashed away money! My friend and I often comment to
each other, “Will we start ‘saving money’ when we become grown ups?” Yes, I
recognize that this makes me completely irresponsible, as my very sound and
practical mom and brother would remind me. The whole having at least 3 months rent/mortgage
in savings just in case you lose your job thing…..um, well that has never been
a priority for me and let’s just say I’m kicking myself a lot right now, as I
would be homeless if I didn’t live with my very financially sound and stable
mom. Humility is one of the highest virtues and I am really beginning to
flourish in it, so that is good I guess.
Today’s gospel is NOT about
having a super grown up and responsible savings account!!! Whew!!! Today’s
gospel is about taking the gifts given to us by God and doing something
fruitful with them. Let’s look at the instructions given by the King to the
servants that he gave 10 gold coins to, “Engage in trade with them until I
return.” Isn’t that an interesting sentence? Trade means to share something and
get something back, and not all trades are necessarily equal depending on what
and how we share something, could mean that we receive much more in return.
Huh? Who does that sound like, “For it is in giving that we receive.”? (Shout
out to my boyfriend St. Francis!!) God gives us free gifts and the instructions
are, “Engage in trade with them until I return.”
I am a musician, praise and
worship leader, and very available with my time. I often do music at retreats,
masses, funerals, weddings, adoration, or just hanging out at the beach. These
are my “10 coins” and my engaging in trade with them. The results are varied,
but mostly people’s hearts are lifted toward God in prayer, praise, release,
love, joy, conversion, return, tenderness, tears, thanksgiving, etc. This trade
is an amazing transaction of people giving their hearts and the gifts in their
souls to each other. My musician friends and I often talk about how we receive
so much more when we see our music being received, participated in, and given
back. There is nothing better than leading a Spirit-filled praise and worship session
and to have the band stop singing, but the crowd continues with full voice! It
fills me up beyond compare and the trade of my “10 coins” multiplies in
countless return, giving me the inspiration to go all in the next time and the
next time and the next. My praise and worship band at St. Therese began with
just a few super talented and eager musicians sharing their “10 coins”
enthusiastically with our congregation, and it has grown to over 20 amazingly
talented and Spirit-filled musicians that received something in the “trade”
that made them want to give back 100-fold.
This is what God wants us to
do: share our own unique gifts abundantly without any hoarding and without
reserve and He knows when we do that, the gifts will continue to grow, thrive,
bear good fruit, and that growth will be infectious suddenly allowing us all to
be who we were made to be, and that my friends, is a glimpse into heaven!!
When we stifle the gifts that
God has blessed us with, bury them, hoard them, or stifle them in others through
jealousy, scandal, rage, slander, bullying, and sheer selfishness, we do not
bring about God’s kingdom on earth. When you see someone with a special gift,
help them in any way to embrace that in them and encourage them to share it
with others. This has been one of my own gifts (10 coins) especially in my
youth and music ministry vocations: to see something special in a person and to
nurture them with love to be confident enough to share it. I have watched shy
awkward middle school girls who could barely speak to an adult, grow into
amazing and talented multi-instrument playing musicians, singers, and
composers, sharing their original music with congregations, on retreats, and
for God’s glory. I have watched young men that loved to hear themselves talk
just to impress the ladies, turn into amazing speakers about how God has worked
in their lives, because I could help in some way turn their gift of speech from
peacocking into giving glory to God in front of an audience. I have seen
extreme introverts or “wallflowers” become incredible and eloquent writers,
because I know that a lot of introverts express themselves best when they can
process their thoughts on paper. I’ve experienced a misunderstood student in
class find their voice because I affirmed their love of dragons by engaging in
a sincerely interested conversation with them as to why they love dragons so
much. I have seen guitar students of mine; play in talent shows, open mic
nights, youth group, adoration, women’s retreats, and leading music for both
elementary school masses and Sunday masses for parishes while they are still
teens. I have coached and choreographed an extremely talented teen experience
being in a musical for the first time, and decide that this is her life calling,
then watching her do everything she can toward that goal. She now directs my
praise and worship band at St. Therese because she has taken her 10 coins and
traded them into so much more, and all for God!!!
The “10 coins” (free gifts) we
have to share can be listening, a hug, praying with someone, sending a love not
in the mail, asking a shy kid to join the choir, inviting someone to coffee,
texting “you’re my favorite” to someone you love, singing at a funeral for free,
choreographing a dance for a teen auditioning for Juilliard, holding a
devastated boy crying because his girlfriend broke up with him, answering a
text at 1:43am from a friend asking if I’m still awake, helping a friend who
sucks at math because math is your thing, writing gospel reflections because
you want people to fall in love with scripture, giving in to an argument to
bring peace, and the list could go on and on. These are the 10 coins that God
has entrusted to us to trade/share/invest/use until He returns. Think about
your 10 coins today and trade them, don’t save them. Have a blessed day.
Reading 1 RV 4:1-11
I, John, had a vision of an open door to heaven,
and I heard the trumpetlike voice
that had spoken to me before, saying,
“Come up here and I will show you what must happen afterwards.”
At once I was caught up in spirit.
A throne was there in heaven, and on the throne sat one
whose appearance sparkled like jasper and carnelian.
Around the throne was a halo as brilliant as an emerald.
Surrounding the throne I saw twenty-four other thrones
on which twenty-four elders sat,
dressed in white garments and with gold crowns on their heads.
From the throne came flashes of lightning,
rumblings, and peals of thunder.
Seven flaming torches burned in front of the throne,
which are the seven spirits of God.
In front of the throne was something that resembled
a sea of glass like crystal.
In the center and around the throne,
there were four living creatures
covered with eyes in front and in back.
The first creature resembled a lion, the second was like a calf,
the third had a face like that of a man,
and the fourth looked like an eagle in flight.
The four living creatures, each of them with six wings,
were covered with eyes inside and out.
Day and night they do not stop exclaiming:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty,
who was, and who is, and who is to come.”
Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks
to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,
the twenty-four elders fall down
before the one who sits on the throne
and worship him, who lives forever and ever.
They throw down their crowns before the throne, exclaiming:
“Worthy are you, Lord our God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things;
because of your will they came to be and were created.”
and I heard the trumpetlike voice
that had spoken to me before, saying,
“Come up here and I will show you what must happen afterwards.”
At once I was caught up in spirit.
A throne was there in heaven, and on the throne sat one
whose appearance sparkled like jasper and carnelian.
Around the throne was a halo as brilliant as an emerald.
Surrounding the throne I saw twenty-four other thrones
on which twenty-four elders sat,
dressed in white garments and with gold crowns on their heads.
From the throne came flashes of lightning,
rumblings, and peals of thunder.
Seven flaming torches burned in front of the throne,
which are the seven spirits of God.
In front of the throne was something that resembled
a sea of glass like crystal.
In the center and around the throne,
there were four living creatures
covered with eyes in front and in back.
The first creature resembled a lion, the second was like a calf,
the third had a face like that of a man,
and the fourth looked like an eagle in flight.
The four living creatures, each of them with six wings,
were covered with eyes inside and out.
Day and night they do not stop exclaiming:
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty,
who was, and who is, and who is to come.”
Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks
to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,
the twenty-four elders fall down
before the one who sits on the throne
and worship him, who lives forever and ever.
They throw down their crowns before the throne, exclaiming:
“Worthy are you, Lord our God,
to receive glory and honor and power,
for you created all things;
because of your will they came to be and were created.”
Responsorial Psalm PS 150:1B-2, 3-4, 5-6
R. (1b) Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Praise the LORD in his sanctuary,
praise him in the firmament of his strength.
Praise him for his mighty deeds,
praise him for his sovereign majesty.
R. Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Praise him with the blast of the trumpet,
praise him with lyre and harp,
Praise him with timbrel and dance,
praise him with strings and pipe.
R. Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Praise him with sounding cymbals,
praise him with clanging cymbals.
Let everything that has breath
praise the LORD! Alleluia.
R. Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Praise the LORD in his sanctuary,
praise him in the firmament of his strength.
Praise him for his mighty deeds,
praise him for his sovereign majesty.
R. Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Praise him with the blast of the trumpet,
praise him with lyre and harp,
Praise him with timbrel and dance,
praise him with strings and pipe.
R. Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Praise him with sounding cymbals,
praise him with clanging cymbals.
Let everything that has breath
praise the LORD! Alleluia.
R. Holy, holy, holy Lord, mighty God!
Alleluia SEE JN 15:16
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I chose you from the world,
to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem
and they thought that the Kingdom of God
would appear there immediately.
So he said,
“A nobleman went off to a distant country
to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return.
He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins
and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’
His fellow citizens, however, despised him
and sent a delegation after him to announce,
‘We do not want this man to be our king.’
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.
The first came forward and said,
‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’
He replied, ‘Well done, good servant!
You have been faithful in this very small matter;
take charge of ten cities.’
Then the second came and reported,
‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’
And to this servant too he said,
‘You, take charge of five cities.’
Then the other servant came and said,
‘Sir, here is your gold coin;
I kept it stored away in a handkerchief,
for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding man;
you take up what you did not lay down
and you harvest what you did not plant.’
He said to him,
‘With your own words I shall condemn you,
you wicked servant.
You knew I was a demanding man,
taking up what I did not lay down
and harvesting what I did not plant;
why did you not put my money in a bank?
Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’
And to those standing by he said,
‘Take the gold coin from him
and give it to the servant who has ten.’
But they said to him,
‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’
He replied, ‘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.
Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king,
bring them here and slay them before me.’”
After he had said this,
he proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem.
I chose you from the world,
to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel LK 19:11-28
While people were listening to Jesus speak,he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem
and they thought that the Kingdom of God
would appear there immediately.
So he said,
“A nobleman went off to a distant country
to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return.
He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins
and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’
His fellow citizens, however, despised him
and sent a delegation after him to announce,
‘We do not want this man to be our king.’
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.
The first came forward and said,
‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’
He replied, ‘Well done, good servant!
You have been faithful in this very small matter;
take charge of ten cities.’
Then the second came and reported,
‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’
And to this servant too he said,
‘You, take charge of five cities.’
Then the other servant came and said,
‘Sir, here is your gold coin;
I kept it stored away in a handkerchief,
for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding man;
you take up what you did not lay down
and you harvest what you did not plant.’
He said to him,
‘With your own words I shall condemn you,
you wicked servant.
You knew I was a demanding man,
taking up what I did not lay down
and harvesting what I did not plant;
why did you not put my money in a bank?
Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’
And to those standing by he said,
‘Take the gold coin from him
and give it to the servant who has ten.’
But they said to him,
‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’
He replied, ‘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.
Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king,
bring them here and slay them before me.’”
After he had said this,
he proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem.
LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXO
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