Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A 2023

Title

Living in the Light as Faithful Brides

Outline

Our culture lives as if there is no end

While our culture knows there are problems, they tend to to focus on immediate problems and relatively quick solutions and often deny ultimate accountability. Is the Israel - Hamas conflict something since October 7 or something going on since 1948 (or before) and has no real end in sight? Or one can turn to climate damage and either one gets a “we can solve it” approach or a denial approach, but in either case it allows us to continue our lifestyle unchanged.

Paul knew better

He wrote to well-formed Christians, “you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night. When people are saying, “Peace and security,” then sudden disaster comes upon them.” Whether it is one of the many proximate ends when cities, countries, or cultures have crashed or the ultimate end, which is certainly coming, we are unlikely to spot it.

There is therefore behavior that should be formed in us because of this awareness: “We are not of the night or of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us stay alert and sober.”

So we have Jesus telling us what this looks like

The man, who must have been fabulously wealth, gives huge amounts of money to three slaves, apparently according to their ability, which is instructive for us in our lives - God has not given us too much responsibility. The three behave in two different ways: two each double their very different amounts of money and receive exactly the same commendation (it is not about God’s benefit, but about faithfulness), but one tries to preserve the money out of fear that the master is seeking his own profit and has set a trap for the slave and in the end both loses the money and ends up in outer darkness. God assumes the risks and seeks our good and wants us to trust him.

And that is what is means to live in the light in the midst of darkness: we serve faithfully knowing there is a reckoning coming, but we serve wanting the reward of love, the “”good and faithful,” not out of fear of failure.

We are to be the good wife

So the Church collectively and the believer individually is to be the “good wife” - faithful, industrious, etc. - her level of skill is not mentioned, just her faithful character. And, of course, if we want the most faithful, we look at Mary, whose labor day in and day out in Nazareth and in the background while following Jesus, goes on quietly, but it is always faithful, always out of love, always full of fortitude, even if it is basically unsung - until Jesus takes her to himself.

Sisters, the world is living in darkness, in a short-term perspective that denies the reality of a coming reckoning, of the king. We are to be like Mary, living in the light of the coming king, always ready to cry out in loving delight when he appears.

Readings

Catholic Daily Readings 11-19-2023: Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

FIRST READING

Proverbs 31:10–13, 19–20, 30–31

10 Who can find a woman of worth?

Far beyond jewels is her value.

11 Her husband trusts her judgment;

he does not lack income.

12 She brings him profit, not loss,

all the days of her life.

13 She seeks out wool and flax

and weaves 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 Acclaim her for the work of her hands,

and let her deeds praise her at the city gates.

Catholic Daily Readings 11-19-2023: Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

RESPONSE

Psalm 128:1a

1 A song of ascents.

Blessed are all who fear the LORD,

and who walk in his ways.

PSALM

Psalm 128:1–5

1 A song of ascents.

Blessed are all who fear the LORD,

and who walk in his ways.

2 What your hands provide you will enjoy;

you will be blessed and prosper:

3 Your wife will be like a fruitful vine

within your home,

Your children like young olive plants

around your table.

4 Just so will the man be blessed

who fears the LORD.

5 May the LORD bless you from Zion;

may you see Jerusalem’s prosperity

all the days of your life,

Catholic Daily Readings 11-19-2023: Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

SECOND 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.

Catholic Daily Readings 11-19-2023: Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION

John 15:4a, 5b

4 Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me.

5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing.

GOSPEL

Option A

Matthew 25:14–30

14 “It will be as when 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 But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money. 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.’ 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.’ 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  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.’

Notes

Catholic Daily Readings 11-19-2023: Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2023 | ORDINARY TIME

THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

YEAR A | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY

First Reading Proverbs 31:10–13, 19–20, 30–31

Response Psalm 128:1a

Psalm Psalm 128:1–5

Second Reading 1 Thessalonians 5:1–6

Gospel Acclamation John 15:4a, 5b

Gospel Matthew 25:14–30 or Matthew 25:14–15, 19–21