Revelation 4:1-11 / Luke 19:11-28

God wisely creates each human being with gifts and talents so that they may help in the fulfillment of His plan of salvation. In addition to these gifts received from God, human beings can also develop other talents through their own personal effort.

The evangelist Luke introduces us to Jesus telling us a parable about gifts. Some people demonstrate great personal effort, developing other talents in addition to those received from God. Such people are praised and rewarded for their effort in the form of responsibilities and possessions.

Unfortunately, other people do not demonstrate effort and do not develop the gifts received from God. Such people are criticized and punished in the form of loss of responsibilities and possessions.

There are people who spend their entire lives without knowing the gifts received from God. How could they then develop new talents?

We should ask ourselves whether or not we are demonstrating personal effort to develop new talents and gifts in addition to those received from God. This is important so that we can help carry out God's plan of salvation.

At the second coming of Christ, we will also have to account for the gifts and talents received from God, whether or not they were used and developed. Then we will be praised and rewarded or we will be criticized and punished.

The book of Revelation is characterized by the use of complex symbolic language, which needs to be deciphered in order to be understood.

Today's text reveals the glory of Christ in Heaven, seated on His throne, worshiped by the representatives of the old and new people of God, who reigned with Christ, dressed in white, seated on thrones and with golden crowns on their heads.

The text also reveals four other living beings, which the Church's Tradition interprets as being the evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. They too ceaselessly glorified and honored Christ, by whom and for whom everything was created.

The Liturgy of the present time is an anticipation, participation and preparation for the Liturgy of Heaven. We too must worship, glorify and honor Christ, our Creator and Savior. This is why we exist. This is why we were created. This is where our happiness lies.

We live in this world, in the present time. We have commitments to the present reality, we are agents of God in the world. But our eyes and hearts point to eternity. We ardently desire Heaven and we walk towards Him without fear. Our goal and happiness is Heaven!

Local: Springfield, MA, EUA

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