One Minute Reflection – 6 December – “The Month of the Divine Infancy and the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary” – The First Saturday of the Month – St Nicholas (270-343) Confessor, Bishop – Hebrews 13:7-17 – Matthew 25:14-23 – Scripture search here: https://www.drbo.org/
“But he who had received the one talent, went away and dug in the earth and hid his Master’s money. ” – Matthew 25:18
REFLECTION – “You too, if you wish it, can deserve the exalted quality of the name of God’s Angel. Each one of you, insofar, as he can, insofar, as he receives an inspiration from on high, if he recalls his neighbour from his wickedness, takes care to encourage him to do good, proclaims the eternal Kingdom, or eternal punishment, to one astray – each one of you is truly an Angel of Jesus’ holy words. No-one should say, I am unable to give counsel, I am not qualified to encourage anyone. Do as much as you can, lest you be tormented for having badly kept, what you received! He who was given only one talent was more eager to hide it than to distribute it (Mt 25:14)…
Draw others, as far as you consider you have advanced; desire to have comrades on your way toward God. If any of you, my friends, is going to the market, or perhaps to the public baths, he will invite someone whom he sees to have nothing else to do, to come with him. That earthly kind of action is habitual among you. So, if you are going toward God, take care not to go to Him alone! The one who has already received, in his heart, a word of heavenly love, may also return to his neighbours an external word of encouragement.” – St Gregory the Great (540-604) Pope, Father and Doctor of the Church (Sermons on the Gospels No 5).
PRAYER – O God, Thou Who made the holy Bishop Nicholas renowned for countless miracles, grant, we beseech Thee that by his merits and prayers, we may be saved from the fires of hell. Through Jesus Christ, Thy Son our Lord, Who lives and reigns with Thee, in the unity of the Holy Ghost, God, world without end. Amen (Collect).
AnaStpaul 