Faith and Talent

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today present a challenge to assess the extent to which we are using our God given talents to better our world and the bias and boundaries we may need to challenge as followers of Christ.

Bringing Talents for Faith

The Reading from the Second Book of Maccabees presents the choice of Martyrdom of a Mother and Her Seven Sons.

* [7:28] God did not make them out of existing things: that is, all things were made solely by God’s omnipotent will and creative word; cf. Heb 11:3. This statement has often been taken as a basis for “creation out of nothing” (Latin creatio ex nihilo). (2 Maccabees, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 17 is the lament of an individual unjustly attacked.

* [Psalm 17] A lament of an individual unjustly attacked. Confident of being found innocent, the psalmist cries out for God’s just judgment (Ps 17:1–5) and requests divine help against enemies (Ps 17:6–9a). Those ravenous lions (Ps 17:9b–12) should be punished (Ps 17:13–14). The Psalm ends with a serene statement of praise (Ps 17:15). The Hebrew text of Ps 17:3–4, 14 is uncertain. (Psalms, PSALM 17 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Luke, the Parable of the Ten Gold Coins, highlights our responsibility to use our talents.

* [19:11–27] In this parable Luke has combined two originally distinct parables: (1) a parable about the conduct of faithful and productive servants (Lk 19:13, 15b–26) and (2) a parable about a rejected king (Lk 19:12, 14–15a, 27). The story about the conduct of servants occurs in another form in Mt 25:14–20. The story about the rejected king may have originated with a contemporary historical event. After the death of Herod the Great, his son Archelaus traveled to Rome to receive the title of king. A delegation of Jews appeared in Rome before Caesar Augustus to oppose the request of Archelaus. Although not given the title of king, Archelaus was made ruler over Judea and Samaria. As the story is used by Luke, however, it furnishes a correction to the expectation of the imminent end of the age and of the establishment of the kingdom in Jerusalem (Lk 19:11). Jesus is not on his way to Jerusalem to receive the kingly power; for that, he must go away and only after returning from the distant country (a reference to the parousia) will reward and judgment take place.

* [19:13] Ten gold coins: literally, “ten minas.” A mina was a monetary unit that in ancient Greece was the equivalent of one hundred drachmas. (Luke, CHAPTER 19 | USCCB, n.d.)

A Member of Creighton University Community comments that in today’s gospel Jesus isn’t talking about God as an international investment banker. Money is just a metaphor. The underlying message is very clear: What we have received is not for us alone; it is to be shared and thereby multiplied.

We are stewards, pure and simple. Not just of money – but of talent, aptitude, opportunity, health, heritage, industriousness – everything. It’s all gift, no matter how hard we seem to have worked for it. (Others have worked as hard, but failed.) None of it is intended mainly for us, the caretakers. It is to be given, not kept. If we don’t see to it that it benefits everyone else, then we’ve failed, and we’ve lost everything we had been given to boot. Yes, indeed. Not our way at all.

Chance alone ensures that assets will become unevenly distributed over time, whether money, talent, or opportunity. Restoring some measure of evenness is up to us as the stewards of all God’s gifts. It won’t happen without us. A disciple of Jesus is not just a believer, not just a member of a Christian church, but someone who actively continues the Master’s work. (Member of Creighton University Community, 2025)

Don Schwager quotes “Talents are divine gifts given to the faithful,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444 AD).

"To those who believe in him, the Savior distributes a variety of divine gifts. We affirm that this is the meaning of the talent. Truly great is the difference between those who receive the talents and those who have even completely denied his kingdom. They are rebels that throw off the yoke of his scepter, while the others are endowed with the glory of serving him. As faithful servants, therefore, they are entrusted with their Lord's wealth. They gain something by doing business. They earn the praises due to faithful service, and they are considered worthy of eternal honors." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 129) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 19:11-28 comments that we can’t expect Jesus to give us a detailed set of instructions or a step-by-step script. That’s not exactly how he works. No, he wants us to be creative and find your own way to invest in the things that Scripture tells you are important to him.

Yes, you may stumble at times, especially if you are just starting out. But anyone experienced in money matters will tell you that investing involves taking risks. You will learn to do better over time. Even more, you’ll learn how patient and merciful your heavenly Master is!

So don’t stay on the sidelines, paralyzed by fear and uncertainty. Today is a perfect day to take the risk of investing in the kingdom of God! 

“Jesus, thank you for calling me to spend myself on you!” (Meditation on Luke 19:11-28, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler common that seven brothers are persecuted for being Jewish by the Seleucid Emperor.  One by one they are martyred for their faith while maintaining belief in the resurrection of the dead. We are not likely to be arrested and martyred, but St Therese of Lisieux describes a martyrdom of pinpricks as we give up our will to serve others. In the Gospel, a king gives gold coins to his servants to invest. One earns ten more. Another earns five more. The one who fails to earn more, loses his coins. The one who has will receive more and one who has little will lose it is applied to our faith. Friar Jude notes Jesus' journey to Jerusalem begins and Luke reminds us Jesus is the king of the parable and we have received talents to grow for the kingdom.

Fr. Mike Schmitz shares the powerful story of the Holy Spirit coming upon the apostles in the upper room. He emphasizes how God calls us to go out into the world with his Spirit and live in community and with devotion to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, the Eucharist, and prayer just like the first Christians. Today’s readings are Acts 2, Romans 2-3, and Proverbs 26:27-28.

Brian McLaren offers an episode of the Learning How to See podcast, where Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis speaks of confirmation bias. 

We are all wired by what we’ve experienced to be in search of a story with an ending … that feels like it has a completion. The stories that we gravitate to are the ones that make sense to us, stories that fit, stories that feel like they have continuity, connection to the past, where we’ve been…. Those stories that we will follow are the ones that feel true, feel like they have continuity to our past and that resonate with the trajectory of our lives. We’re looking for the story that doesn’t necessarily change our minds; we’re actually looking for the story that confirms what’s in our minds. [2] (McLaren, n.d.)

Brian McLaren offers a prayer to seek truth and wisdom.

Source of all truth, help me to hunger for truth, even if it upsets, modifies, or overturns what I already think is true. Guide me into all the truth I can bear and stretch me to bear more, so that I may always choose the whole truth, even with disruption, over half- truths with self-deception. Grant me the passion to follow wisdom wherever it leads. Thank you. [3] (McLaren, n.d.)

We are inspired by the Spirit to be grateful for the talents we have as we work in the vineyard of the Lord to affirm the love and generosity of God.

References

Luke, CHAPTER 19 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved November 19, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/19?11 

McLaren, B. (n.d.). The Power of Confirmation Bias. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved November 19, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/ 

Meditation on Luke 19:11-28. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved November 19, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/11/19/1432065/ 

Member of Creighton University Community. (2025, November 19). Daily Reflection November 19, 2025 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved November 19, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-november-19-2025 

Psalms, PSALM 17 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved November 19, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/17?1 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). They Did Not Want Me to Reign over Them. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved November 19, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

2 Maccabees, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved November 19, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/2maccabees/7?1 

Wrestling with Compassion

The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to assess the scope of our compassion and care and wrestle with the prompting of the Spirit to extend our compassion to those in need.

Moved to Compassion

The reading from the Book of Genesis describes the origin of Jacob’s New Name.

* [32:23–33] As Jacob crosses over to the land promised him, worried about the impending meeting with Esau, he encounters a mysterious adversary in the night with whom he wrestles until morning. The cunning Jacob manages to wrest a blessing from the night stranger before he departs. There are folkloric elements in the tale—e.g., the trial of the hero before he can return home, the nocturnal demon’s loss of strength at sunrise, the demon protecting its river, the power gained by knowledge of an opponent’s name—but these have been worked into a coherent though elliptical narrative. The point of the tale seems to be that the ever-striving, ever-grasping Jacob must eventually strive with God to attain full possession of the blessing.

* [32:25] A man: as with Abraham’s three visitors in chap. 18, who appear sometimes as three, two, and one (the latter being God), this figure is fluid; he loses the match but changes Jacob’s name (v. 29), an act elsewhere done only by God (17:5, 15). A few deft narrative touches manage to express intimate contact with Jacob while preserving the transcendence proper to divinity.

* [32:29] Israel: the first part of the Hebrew name Yisrael is given a popular explanation in the word saritha, “you contended”; the second part is the first syllable of ’elohim, “divine beings.” The present incident, with a similar allusion to the name Israel, is referred to in Hos 12:5, where the mysterious wrestler is explicitly called an angel.

* [32:31] Peniel: a variant of the word Penuel (v. 32), the name of a town on the north bank of the Jabbok in Gilead (Jgs 8:8–9, 17; 1 Kgs 12:25). The name is explained as meaning “the face of God,” peni-’el. Yet my life has been spared: see note on 16:13. (Genesis, CHAPTER 32|USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 17 is a lament of an individual unjustly attacked.

* [Psalm 17] A lament of an individual unjustly attacked. Confident of being found innocent, the psalmist cries out for God’s just judgment (Ps 17:1–5) and requests divine help against enemies (Ps 17:6–9a). Those ravenous lions (Ps 17:9b–12) should be punished (Ps 17:13–14). The Psalm ends with a serene statement of praise (Ps 17:15). The Hebrew text of Ps 17:3–4, 14 is uncertain. (Psalms, PSALM 17|USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew proclaims the Healing of a Mute Person through the Compassion of Jesus.

* [9:32–34] The source of this story seems to be Q (see Lk 11:14–15). As in the preceding healing of the blind, Matthew has two versions of this healing, the later in Mt 12:22–24 and the earlier here.

* [9:34] This spiteful accusation foreshadows the growing opposition to Jesus in Mt 11 and 12.

* [9:35] See notes on Mt 4:23–25; Mt 8:1–9:38.

* [9:36] See Mk 6:34; Nm 27:17; 1 Kgs 22:17.

* [9:37–38] This Q saying (see Lk 10:2) is only imperfectly related to this context. It presupposes that only God (the master of the harvest) can take the initiative in sending out preachers of the gospel, whereas in Matthew’s setting it leads into Mt 10 where Jesus does so. (Matthew, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB, n.d.)

Mag­gie Knight asks how often do we, too, find our­selves wrestling with God – inte­ri­or­ly, in prayer, in our ques­tions, in the silence of uncer­tain­ty?

Per­haps we need not fear meet­ing God in the dark.  Per­haps some nights of wrestling are invi­ta­tions.  Some­times, per­haps God meets us in the strug­gle to bless us through it. 

Today, let us be more mind­ful of the ways God draws near us in our soli­tude, in our wrestling.  Are we will­ing to stay with Him long enough to receive what He offers?  May we have the courage to ask for His bless­ing – and the humil­i­ty to wel­come the change it brings. (Knight, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “Freedom and healing in Christ,” by Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD).

"In the deaf and dumb and demoniac appear the need of the Gentiles for a complete healing. Beleaguered on all sides by misfortune, they were associated with all types of the body's infirmities. And in this regard a proper order of things is observed. For the devil is first cast out; then the other bodily benefits follow suit. With the folly of all superstitions put to flight by the knowledge of God, sight and hearing and words of healing are introduced. The declaration of the onlookers followed their admiration over what took place: 'Never has the like been seen in Israel.' Indeed, he whom the law could not help was made well by the power of the Word, and the deaf and dumb man spoke the praises of God. Deliverance has been given to the Gentiles. All the towns and all the villages are enlightened by the power and presence of Christ, and the people are freed from every impairment of the timeless malady. (excerpt from ON MATTHEW 9.10) (Schwager, n.d.)

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 9:32-38 comments that we live in an era that prizes skepticism about anything we can’t explain scientifically. At the same time, many of us carry past hurts and disappointments stemming from times when we felt sure that God would come to our aid, only to be let down. Setbacks like these can make us cynical and hesitant to trust in the Lord again.

Jesus is still active today! He is still working miracles. Don’t let suspicion or fear cloud your vision. Try to set aside your doubts. If you ask, the Holy Spirit will open your eyes. He will start healing your wounded heart. Even if you don’t fully understand how, he will help you rest in the assurance that he is near, always inviting you to see his goodness.

“Lord, open my eyes and my heart!” (Meditation on Matthew 9:32-38, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler notes that Genesis 32 places Jacob in the ancestral home where he has two concubines and children as he gets ready to meet Esau. Does he encounter an angel or God? He is named Israel as he fights with God and receives a new name, in contrast to the liar, the grasper, in Jeremiah the deceiver, Israel refers to Jacob when he does not lie. When Jesus meets Nathaniel, a true Israelite, he is recognized as an honest man. An etiology explains not eating the sciatic muscle. The limp of Israel is respected. Friar Jude notes that driving the demon is out of a man, Jesus observes they are sheep without a shepherd God with priests who had rejected the Lord Jesus to lead them in the right path.

Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces author Debie Thomas who considers how Jonah’s story challenges our notions of God’s mercy. After hearing Jonah’s complaints, God asks, “What right do you have to get angry?” (Jonah 4:9). Thomas comments: 

To Jonah, then, God’s question is a ridiculous one. Of course he has a right to be angry. Isn’t it right to be angry that God’s mercy extends to killers? Isn’t it right to be angry when people who break the rules don’t get the comeuppance they deserve? Isn’t it right to be angry about a grace so reckless and wasteful that it challenges our most cherished assumptions about justice? 

All too often, we are also left to wrestle with the scandalous goodness of God, a goodness that calls us to become instruments of grace even to those who offend us most deeply. God’s goodness gently probes beneath our pieties and asks why we often prefer vindication to rehabilitation—prison cells and death sentences to hospitality and compassion. It exposes our smallness and stinginess, our reluctance to embrace the radical kinship God calls us to embrace. Why do we grab at the second chances God gives us, even as we deny those second chances to others? God’s goodness dares us to do the braver and riskier thing: to hold out for the hearts of those who belong to God, whether we like them or not. (Rohr, n.d.)

We implore the Spirit to enlighten our mission to be truth, faith, compassion, and love in our environment.

References

Genesis, CHAPTER 32|USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved July 8, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/genesis/32?23 

Knight, M. (n.d.). Dai­ly Reflec­tion. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved July 8, 2025, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-july-8-2025 

Matthew, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 8, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/9?32 

Meditation on Matthew 9:32-38. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved July 8, 2025, from https://wau.org/meditations/2025/07/08/1327720/ 

Psalms, PSALM 17|USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings. Retrieved July 8, 2025, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/17?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved July 8, 2025, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/jonahs-anger-and-our-own/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Never Seen Anything like This. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 8, 2025, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2025&date=jul8