Saint Monica 2022
God calls us to humble faithful service, and that means never losing our humility, always trusting that God knows what he is doing, and faithfully serving expecting that he will accomplish his will through us.
Title
Outline
Humility is not valued by our culture
Paul tells us that societal standing is not the basis of divine calling
Now look at Matthew’s parable of the talents
So where are we in this?
Readings
FIRST READING
1 Corinthians 1:26–31
26 Consider your own calling, brothers. Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 Rather, God chose the foolish of the world to shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, 28 and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, 29 so that no human being might boast before God. 30 It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Whoever boasts, should boast in the Lord.”
RESPONSE
Psalm 33:12
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people chosen as his inheritance.
PSALM
Psalm 33:12–13, 18–21
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,
the people chosen as his inheritance.
13 From heaven the LORD looks down
and observes the children of Adam,
18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon those who fear him,
upon those who count on his mercy,
19 To deliver their soul from death,
and to keep them alive through famine.
20 Our soul waits for the LORD,
he is our help and shield.
21 For in him our hearts rejoice;
in his holy name we trust.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
John 13:34
34 I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another.
GOSPEL
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.’
SECOND READING
Hebrews 12:18–19, 22–24a
18 You have not approached that which could be touched and a blazing fire and gloomy darkness and storm 19 and a trumpet blast and a voice speaking words such that those who heard begged that no message be further addressed to them,
22 No, you have approached Mount Zion and the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and countless angels in festal gathering, 23 and the assembly of the firstborn enrolled in heaven, and God the judge of all, and the spirits of the just made perfect, 24 and Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and the sprinkled blood that speaks more eloquently than that of Abel.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION
Matthew 11:29ab
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves.
GOSPEL
Luke 14:1, 7–14
1 On a sabbath he went to dine at the home of one of the leading Pharisees, and the people there were observing him carefully.
7 He told a parable to those who had been invited, noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table. 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not recline at table in the place of honor. A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him, 9 and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then you would proceed with embarrassment to take the lowest place. 10 Rather, when you are invited, go and take the lowest place so that when the host comes to you he may say, ‘My friend, move up to a higher position.’ Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” 12 Then he said to the host who invited him, “When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. 13 Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; 14 blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
Notes
SATURDAY, AUGUST 27, 2022 | MEMORIAL
SAINT MONICA
YEARS 1 & 2 | ROMAN MISSAL | LECTIONARY
From Saturday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time
First Reading 1 Corinthians 1:26–31
Response Psalm 33:12
Psalm Psalm 33:12–13, 18–21
Gospel Acclamation John 13:34
Gospel Matthew 25:14–30