Daily Gospel Reflection: Memorial of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr
November 22, 2023
Memorial of Saint Cecilia, Virgin and Martyr
Gospel: Lk 19:11-28
While people were listening to Jesus speak,
he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem
and they thought that the Kingdom of God
would appear there immediately.
So he said,
"A nobleman went off to a distant country
to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return.
He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins
and told them, 'Engage in trade with these until I return.'
His fellow citizens, however, despised him
and 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 down
and 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 down
and 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 him
and 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.
*United States Conference of Catholic
Bishop Robert Barron
Friends, in today’s Gospel, Jesus tells a parable that demonstrates the significance of a life of goodness and faithfulness. How do we make the all-important judgment about the quality of our lives, one that touches not simply on what we are to do but on who we are to be? How do we know?
In another place, Jesus had said that a tree is known by its fruits. And Paul makes this very specific. He tells us that the fruit of the Holy Spirit is “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” He implies that the Spirit’s presence in one’s life can be read from its radiance in these soul-expanding qualities.
I have often spoken of the magna anima (the great soul) of the saint in contrast to the pusilla anima (the cramped soul) of the sinner. And the fruit of the Spirit can make the difference. Love is willing the good of another; patience bears with the troublesome; faithfulness is a dedication to a partner or friend; self-control restricts the havoc that the ego can cause; and so on. All of the fruits of the Spirit are marks of an expansive and outward-looking magna anima.
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