The Gospel this Sunday is the parable of the talents when Jesus tells us that we will be judged on how courageously and generously we have used the talents and gifts he has given us. Here we include a wonderful text from St Catherine of Siena about the various ways God distributes his gifts.
We also include here the opening extract from Pope Francis' message for the fourth 'World Day of the Poor'.
'I distribute the virtues quite diversely; I do not give all of them to each person, but some to one, some to others.... I shall give principally charity to one; justice to another; humility to this one, a living faith to that one.... and so I have given many gifts and graces, both spiritual and temporal, with such diversity that I have not given everything to one single person, so that you may be constrained to practice charity towards one another.... I have willed that one should need another and that all should be my ministers in distributing the graces and gifts they have received from me'. (St Catherine of Siena, Dialogue, I, 7).
“Stretch forth your hand to the poor” (Sir 7:32). Age-old wisdom has proposed these words as a sacred rule to be followed in life. Today these words remain as timely as ever. They help us fix our gaze on what is essential and overcome the barriers of indifference. Poverty always appears in a variety of guises, and calls for attention to each particular situation. In all of these, we have an opportunity to encounter the Lord Jesus, who has revealed himself as present in the least of his brothers and sisters (cf. Mt 25:40).
Comentarios