VATICAN - Pope at the Angelus: “Indeed, what Christ gives us is multiplied when we give it away! It is a treasure that is made to be spent, invested, shared with all, as the Apostle Paul, that great administrator of Jesus' talents, has taught us;” the presence of the cloistered religious communities in the Church and the world “is indispensable.”

Monday, 17 November 2008

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – The parable of the talents, told in the Gospel of St. Matthew (25:14-30) is the Gospel read on the 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time, and it “invites us to be vigilant and active, in awaiting the return of the Lord Jesus at the end of time.” Before reciting the Angelus with the faithful gathered in Saint Peter's Square, the Holy Father Benedict XVI paused to reflect on the meaning of this Gospel passage: “The 'talent' was an ancient Roman coin of great value and precisely on account of the popularity of this parable it has become synonymous with personal gifts, which everyone is called to develop...The man the parable represents Christ himself, the servants are his disciples and the talents are the gifts that Jesus gives them. For this reason such gifts, apart from natural qualities, represent the riches that the Lord Jesus has left us as a legacy, so that we bear fruit with them: his Word, deposited in the holy Gospel; baptism, which renews us in the Holy Spirit; prayer -- the 'Our Father' -- that we address to God as sons united in the Son; his forgiveness, which he commanded to be brought to all; the sacrament of his immolated Body and his Blood that he poured out. In a word: the Kingdom of God, which is Christ himself, present and living among us.”
Thus, the Pope focused on the interior attitude needed for receiving this gift: “The mistaken attitude is that of fear: The servant who fears his master and fears his return, hides the coin in the ground and it does not produce any fruit. This happens, for example, to those who, having received baptism, Communion, and confirmation bury such gifts beneath prejudices, a false image of God that paralyzes faith and works, so as to betray the Lord's expectations. But the parable puts greater emphasis on the good fruits born by the disciples who, happy at the gift received, did not hide it with fear and jealously, but made it fruitful, sharing it, participating in it. Indeed, what Christ gives us is multiplied when we give it away! It is a treasure that is made to be spent, invested, shared with all, as the Apostle Paul, that great administrator of Jesus' talents, has taught us.”
Before reciting the Angelus, the Pope concluded his reflection by pointing out that the Gospel teaching has promoted an “active mentality” among Christian populations, even in the historical and social spheres, and yet “the central message regards the spirit of responsibility with which the Kingdom of God is to be accepted: responsibility toward God and toward humanity.” The perfect model of this attitude is found in the heart of the Virgin Mary, “who, receiving the most precious of gifts, Jesus himself, offered him to the world with great love.”
After the Angelus, Benedict XVI recalled that November 21, the liturgical feast of the Presentation of Our Lady in the Temple, is the Day for Cloistered Life. “Let us thank the Lord for the sisters and brothers who have embraced this mission, dedicating themselves completely to prayer and living off what Providence gives them," the Pontiff said. "Let us also pray for them and for new vocations and let us commit ourselves to supporting monasteries in their material needs. Dear sisters and brothers, your presence in the Church and the world is indispensable.”
Greeting the English-speaking pilgrims, the Pope recalled that in this Third Sunday in November, we remember all those who have died as a result of traffic accidents. Inviting all to pray for their eternal rest and for the comfort of their families, the Pope encouraged all – drivers, passengers, and pedestrians – to carefully heed the words of Saint Paul in the day's readings: “stay sober and alert.” (SL) (Agenzia Fides 17/11/2008)


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