The Parable of the productive servant and the rejected king

November 18, 2015

Wednesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

Saint of the Day: Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne

Reading 1

2 Maccabees 7:1, 20-31

1It happened that seven brothers with their mother were arrested and tortured with whips and scourges by the king, to force them to eat pork in violation of God’s law.

20Most admirable and worthy of everlasting remembrance was the mother,

who saw her seven sons perish in a single day, yet bore it courageously because of her hope in the Lord.

21Filled with a noble spirit that stirred her womanly heart with manly courage,

she exhorted each of them in the language of their ancestors with these words:

22“I do not know how you came into existence in my womb; it was not I who gave you the breath of life, nor was it I who set in order the elements of which each of you is composed.

23Therefore, since it is the Creator of the universe who shapes each man’s beginning, as He brings about the origin of everything, He, in His mercy, will give you back both breath and life, because you now disregard yourselves for the sake of His law.”

24Antiochus, suspecting insult in her words, thought he was being ridiculed. As the youngest brother was still alive, the king appealed to him, not with mere words, but with promises on oath, to make him rich and happy if he would abandon his ancestral customs: he would make him his Friend and entrust him with high office.

25When the youth paid no attention to him at all, the king appealed to the mother,

urging her to advise her boy to save his life. 26After he had urged her for a long time, she went through the motions of persuading her son.

27In derision of the cruel tyrant, she leaned over close to her son and said in their native language: “Son, have pity on me, who carried you in my womb for nine months, nursed you for three years, brought you up, educated and supported you to your present age.

28I beg you, child, to look at the heavens and the earth and see all that is in them; then you will know that God did not make them out of existing things; and in the same way the human race came into existence. [1]

29Do not be afraid of this executioner, but be worthy of your brothers and accept death, so that in the time of mercy I may receive you again with them.”

30She had scarcely finished speaking when the youth said: “What are you waiting for? I will not obey the king’s command. I obey the command of the law given to our fathers through Moses. 

31But you, who have contrived every kind of affliction for the Hebrews, will not escape the hands of God.” 

Responsorial Psalm

Psalms 17:1bcd, 5-6, 8b, 15

R. (15b) Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

17Hear, O LORD, a just suit; attend to my outcry;

hearken to my prayer from lips without deceit.

R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

5My steps have been steadfast in your paths, my feet have not faltered.

6I call upon you, for you will answer me, O God; incline your ear to me; hear my word.

R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

8bKeep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.

15But I in justice shall behold your face; on waking, I shall be content in your presence.

R. Lord, when your glory appears, my joy will be full.

Alleluia (John 15:16)  

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

I chose you from the world,

to go and bear fruit that will last, says the Lord.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel 

Luke 19:11-28

11While 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.[2]

12So he said, “A nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return. 13He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’[3]

14His fellow citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to announce, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.’

15But 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.

16The first came forward and said, ‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’ 17He replied, ‘Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.’

18Then the second came and reported, ‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’

19And to this servant too he said, ‘You, take charge of five cities.’ 

20Then the other servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief, 21for 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.’

22He 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; 23why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’

24And to those standing by he said, ‘Take the gold coin from him and give it to the servant who has ten.’ 25But they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’ 26He 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. 

27Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king, bring them here and slay them before me.’” 28After he had said this, he proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem.[4] 

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Notes on Readings: 

[1] 2 Maccabess 7:28 - God did not make them out of existing things: that is, God made all things solely by His omnipotent will and His creative word; compare with Hebrews 11:3.

[2] Luke 19:11-27 - In this parable Luke has combined two originally distinct parables: (1) a parable about the conduct of faithful and productive servants (Luke 19:13) , 15b-26  and (2) a parable about a rejected king (Luke 19:12,14-15a, 27). The story about the conduct of servants occurs in another form in Matthew 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 (Luke 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.

[3] Luke 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.

[4] Luke 19:28-⇒ 21:38 - With the royal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, a new section of Luke's gospel begins, the ministry of Jesus in Jerusalem before His death and resurrection. Luke suggests that this was a lengthy ministry in Jerusalem (Luke 19:47; 20:1; 21:37-38; 22:53 and it is characterized by Jesus' daily teaching in the temple (Luke 21:37-38). For the story of the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, see also Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-10 ; John 12;12-19 and the footnotes there.