Wednesday of the
Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time
(II Maccabees 7:1.20-31; Luke 19:11-28)
A proverb states life is God’s gift to us and what we
make of our life is our gift to God. The
proverb may not be biblical, but it does encapsulate Jesus’ parable in today’s
gospel.
Context is emphasized here. Jesus is mounting the heights of
Jerusalem. He has just awarded Zacchaeus
for sharing his fortune with the poor.
Now he signals blessings for those who use their resources for the glory
of God. Is he saying that individuals earn
salvation by their good deeds? As odious
as the concept may be to some, in a sense Jesus is saying just that. But the gold coin must also be taken into
account. It is the grace by which one
can act. It comes from the sacrifice
Jesus is about to make on Calvary.
We cannot win salvation for ourselves because it is a
gift from God. But God does not belittle
human freedom. Rather he enables us to
perform meritorious works. When we bring
food to shut-ins in July, not so much with the holidays approaching when
everyone wants to feel good about themselves, we secure our place in God’s kingdom.
