Sunday between 13 and 19 November
Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Second Sunday before Advent (Year A)
Remembrance
(or the Sunday after Remembrance)
First Reading - Zephaniah 1.7a,12-16,18
A reading from the book of the prophet Zephaniah.
Be silent now, in the presence of God,
for the great day of the Lord
is at hand,
approaching fast;
a day of distress and anguish,
a day of ruin and devastation,
a day of darkness,
with trumpet blast, and battle cry,
against the fortified cities,
and the highest city walls.
The Lord will search
all Jerusalem,
to seek out those who have
started to believe
that the Lord will bring
neither punishment nor reward.
Their wealth will be plundered,
their houses laid waste,
their buildings abandoned,
their vineyards left desolate.
Their silver and gold
will not save them,
on that day
when the whole earth
will be consumed.
This is the word of the Lord.
Second Reading - 1 Thessalonians 5.12-15
A reading from the first letter of Paul
to the Thessalonians.
Be at peace
with one another.
Show love and respect
to those who minister amongst you,
as they teach you, and challenge you,
in the name of the Lord.
Challenge those who are
idle and disruptive.
But encourage the faint-hearted,
support the weak,
and be patient
with everyone.
Never repay anyone
evil for evil.
But seek always
to do good -
to one another,
and to everyone.
This is the word of the Lord.
Gospel - Matthew 25.14-29
Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ
according to Matthew.
Jesus told this parable to his disciples,
‘A householder,
planning a long journey,
made arrangements
with his servants
to look after his property.
To one, he gave five coins,
to another, he gave two coins,
and to another, he gave one coin,
giving to each according to their ability.
Then he went away.
The servant who had received five coins
went off at once, and worked with them,
and made five more.
In the same way, the servant who had two coins
went off, and worked with them, and made two more.
But the servant who had received only one coin
went off, and dug a hole in the ground,
and hid his master’s money.
Eventually, the master returned,
and called the servants together.
The one who had received five coins
stepped forward, saying, “Master,
you gave me five coins;
see, I have made five more.”
The master said, “Well done, good and faithful servant.
You have been faithful with a little;
I will put you in charge of more.
Come and celebrate with your master.”
Then the servant who had received two coins
stepped forward, saying, “Master,
you gave me two coins;
see, I have made two more.”
The master said, “Well done, good and faithful servant.
You have been faithful with a little;
I will put you in charge of more.
Come and celebrate with your master.”
Then the servant who had received only one coin
stepped forward, saying, “I know that you are
a demanding master,
gathering the harvest
where you do not
plant the seed.
So I was afraid,
and I hid your coin in the ground.
Here it is. I return what belongs to you.”
But the master replied, “You wicked and lazy servant!
If you had only
placed my coin
with the bankers,
I would have received it back with interest!”
And the master said, “Take the coin from him,
and give it to the servant with ten.
For those who have much
will receive even more,
but those who have nothing
will lose
even what they have.”’
This is the Gospel of the Lord.