Proverbs 31.10-13, 19-20, 30-31; Ps.128. 2+3ab, 3cd+5+6a; 1 Thessalonians 5.1-6;
Matthew 25:1-
Responding to Do the Work of the Kingdom
With What We Already Have
Let us continue our reflection on the Kingdom of God by starting from what we have shared last week. Full participation (full membership) in the Kingdom of God asks us all to understand well the platform introduced by Jesus. We come to understand that to be truly wise is to have a meaningful Christian life against hypocrisy and maybe mediocrity. One who is not being truly honest to the identity of what he/she proclaims to belong is not being wise、therefore, a fool. Maybe the person who is not truly wise (seemingly wise for his/her own good only) misunderstands what being a Christian is.
A member of a particular faith－community always consider the good of the community over selfish－interest and self－centeredness. Our readings today call us to cooperate and truly participate (participate from the heart) to do the work of and in the so－called Kingdom of God. Indeed there are still plenty of works to be done. We do not indulge much (and maybe we should not) on self-centeredness.
In our own quiet time we start/begin knowing, discovering, and acknowledging the gifts we have been given. The gifts and abilities, and the time we actually have are not meant to be stored in the dark. Since we are all children of light and not of darkness, & children of goodness and not of evil, we use all our resources courageously for the Kingdom of God. Our readings today call each one of us to a wise managing of resources or gifts from God. We call this stewardship. personal responsibility, & accountability. Every time we say we cannot be steward and we cannot be responsible, or we just do not want to be, we are undermining what these gifts can do, and we are at the same time pending the growth and spread of the fruits of the gifts and time we actually have. We may also somehow realize that we are actually rejecting the “should be” productive project of God for and through each one of us.
When we put into light God-given talents, and the time we actually do have as well, we are pursuing the ultimate purpose of these all. We Christians do not hinder the realization of the vision and mission of our Church, and the expansion of the platform of Jesus.
While we try to fully participant in the work of the Kingdom by expressing our God－given talents, and while we wholeheartedly lend our time for the sublime purpose, let us at the same time allow and help others too, who seemingly find difficulty lending their time, and expressing their talents to the full for various reasons we both do not know and we actually already know.
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