Catholic Mass Readings and Reflection August 30, 2025
Saturday – 21st Week in Ordinary Time
30th August 2025 (Saturday)
Psalter: Week 1
Readings of the Day
First Reading: 1 Thessalonians 4:9-11
Brethern: Concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by god to love one another, for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you.
Psalm 98:1, 7-8, 9 R. (9)
R/. The Lord comes to judge the people with fairness
Gospel Acclamation
V/. Alleluia
R/. Alleluia
V/. A new commandment I give to you, says the Lord, that you love one another: just as I have loved you.
R/. Alleluia
Gospel: Matthew 25:14-30
At that time: Jesus told his disciples this parable: “It will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.’ his master said to him, ‘well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ and he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.’ his master said to him, ‘well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’ he also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘master, i knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so i was afraid, and i went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.’ but his master answered him, ‘you wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
Daily Gospel Reflection
Saturday – 21st Week in Ordinary Time
Main Point: In life certainly, there are differences between persons regarding various aspects and factors. But these need not be taken as causes or grounds for discrimination
1. The parable of talents is another rich parable. The master gives three of his servants some talents, namely five, two, and one, respectively. The one with five talents trades with them and doubles them to ten. The second with two too trades with them and makes another two. The third, with one, just buries it in the ground and keeps it safe.
2. On their master’s return, each one submits the accounts. The first one gives five + five, the second two + two, but the last one only one. The first two are praised and rewarded, while the last one is punished. This, in sum, is the parable.
3. The first fact to note is the difference in the distribution of talents. Not all are given equally. And this shall not be a big issue. Let our concern not be why there is a difference. Why does God discriminate? The difference is quite a natural phenomenon.
4. Equality or parity does not mean uniformity and total sameness in quantity or number of things. The difference is not a matter or cause for division but is a ground of distinction. It can be a seedbed of richness, soil for a variety of possibilities. Thus, it can be a prompt toward mutual enrichment.
5. Having more talents shall not be a cause for self-glory, self-conceit, and arrogance. Similarly, having fewer talents shall not be a cause for dissipation or jealousy. Each one shall try to discover his aptitudes or potencies, or propensities. Accordingly, he shall tap on them, use every opportunity, and work diligently to enhance them and bear abundant fruit.
6. No one shall lament or complain about their talents. In the light of the first reading from 1 Thessalonians 4. 9-11, we can draw some simple lessons: Instead of crying over what one does not have or what the other has, he will do better “to aspire to live quietly, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, so that you may command the respect of others, and be dependent on nobody, and to do so more and more”.
7. And the greatest talent and gift is love, and in this, there is never a lack. God gives everyone abundance. He also teaches us to love one another. We are called to do so more and more. We will be making the same mistake as the third servant. He lays his one talent buried, unused and unproductive, while the other two do more and more.
My Practice: Life itself is the biggest love gift, packed with multiple talents and possibilities. We need to relentlessly search to make them productive and abundant in a life of virtues and benevolence
