Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 25,14-30.

Jesus told his disciples this parable: “A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.
To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one– to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately
the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five.
Likewise, the one who received two made another two.
But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master's money.
After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them.
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.'
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.'
(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.'
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.'
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;
so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.'
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?
Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?
Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten.
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.
And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'”

Gospel commentary

Julian of Norwich (1342-after 1416), recluse
Revelations of divine love, ch. 14 (©Classics of Western Spirituality)

After this our Lord said: “I thank you for your service and your labor in your youth.” And in this my understanding was lifted up into heaven, where I saw our Lord God as a lord in his own house, who has called all his friends to a splendid feast. Then I did not see him seated anywhere in his own house; but I saw him reign in his house as a king and fill it all full of joy and mirth, gladdening and consoling his dear friends with himself, very familiarly and courteously, with wonderful melody in endless love in his own fair blissful countenance, which glorious countenance fills all heaven full of the joy and bliss of the divinity.

God showed three degrees of bliss that every soul will have in heaven who has voluntarily served God in any degree upon earth. The first is the honor and thanks from our Lord God which he will receive when he is delivered from pain. The thanks is so exalted and so honorable that it may seem to him that this suffices him, if there were no more. For it seemed to me that all the pain and labor which all living men might endure could not earn the honorable thanks that one man will have who has voluntarily served God .

As to the second degree, it is that all the blessed in heaven will see the honor of the thanks. God makes the soul's service known to all who are in heaven (…). If a king thank his subjects, it is a great honor for them; and if he make this known to all the kingdom, then their honor is much increased. And for the third degree: It is that the first joy with which the soul is then received will last forevermore. And I saw that this was familiarly and sweetly revealed, that every man's age will be known in heaven, and he will be rewarded for his voluntary service and for the time that he has served, and especially the age of those who voluntarily and freely offer their youth to God is fittingly rewarded and wonderfully thanked.

    

Community prayer

Our Father

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day, our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And let us not enter into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen

Thank you! 45 people prayed

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone. Col 4:6

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