While people were listening to Jesus speak,he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalemand they thought that the Kingdom of Godwould appear there immediately.So he said,"A nobleman went off to a distant countryto obtain the kingship for himself and then to return.He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coinsand told them, 'Engage in trade with these until I return.'His fellow citizens, however, despised himand 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 downand 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 downand 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 himand 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.
REFLECTION
His fellow citizens, however, despised himand sent a delegation after him to announce,'We do not want this man to be our king.'
Examination of conscience can be very hard at times when I fully understand my sins and my disobedience is amplified as I consider what I did and why. I am truly sorry when I did not give proper honor to our Lord, did not pray for someone who asked me or for those who did not ask but who needed prayers, for being lukewarm, chose to gossip, sought my own pleasure and luxury without considering others or even offering to God discomfort as a sacrifice.....and the list goes on and on.
At times my sins do not weigh too much on my soul, and therefore make me insensitive to the grace of God and indifferent to salvation. The sins are easily forgotten and, therefore, create in me a terrible habit of sinning and dulling my moral conscience. But the filth associated with sin continues to accumulate, like a room not dusted for awhile with dirty slimy windows. This dirty room of my heart does not allow God, my Creator King, to enter.
His fellow citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to announce, 'We do not want this man to be our king.' Every time I sin, I am like the townspeople, yelling out in protest that I do not want him as my King. And because of my attitude, I refuse to use my talents for His Kingdom, refuse to find joy and happiness in the Lord but seek the world for its ease of pleasure and luxury.
The most powerful medicine that can help me change are confession, adoration and the Holy Eucharist. With a good confession and atonement for sins I can have a heart that has a wide open door to allow Jesus to live in me.
Advent is eleven days away. May I take the opportunity to invite you to prepare for the Lord's coming by attending our PAPA Advent Retreat, "The Seven Ways to Excommunication". Schedule and sign up for retreat.
Get to meet Jesus--one on one, you and Him alone. See how much the King loves us.
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