11/18/2026 (Wednesday) Today’s Gospel reading: Luke 19:11-28
11 While people were listening to Jesus speak, he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the Kingdom of God would appear there immediately.
12 So he said, “A nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return.
13 He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’
14 His fellow citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to announce, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.’
15 But when he returned after obtaining the kingship, he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money, to learn what they had gained by trading.
16 The first came forward and said, ‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’
17 He replied, ‘Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.’
18 Then the second came and reported, ‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’
19 And to this servant too he said, ‘You, take charge of five cities.’
20 Then the other servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief,
21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding man; you take up what you did not lay down and you harvest what you did not plant.’
22 He said to him, ‘With your own words I shall condemn you, you wicked servant. You knew I was a demanding man, taking up what I did not lay down and harvesting what I did not plant;
23 why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’
24 And to those standing by he said, ‘Take the gold coin from him and give it to the servant who has ten.’
25 But they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’
26 He replied, ‘I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.
27 Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king, bring them here and slay them before me.’”
28 After he had said this, he proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem.
11/19/2025 (Wednesday) Today’s Gospel reflection / homily / sermon: Luke 19:11-28
Theme: Make Your Life Count for God’s Kingdom
In the Gospel reading above, Jesus tells the parable of a nobleman who travels to a distant country to receive his kingship. Before leaving, he entrusts money to ten servants and instructs them to use it while he is away. When he returns, he calls them to account for what they have done. Some servants have multiplied what was entrusted to them, while another has simply hidden his money out of fear. Through this parable, Jesus teaches us about responsibility, faithfulness, courage, and the importance of making good use of God’s gifts while we still have time.
We can draw four important lessons from this Gospel using the word COIN.
C – Cultivate the Gifts God Has Given You
Every person receives something valuable from God. We may have different talents, abilities, opportunities, resources, and experiences, but each of us has something worth developing. Some are gifted with intelligence, others with creativity, leadership, compassion, or the ability to encourage people.
The important question is not how much we have received compared with others, but what we are doing with what we have. God does not expect everyone to accomplish the same things. He expects us to recognize our gifts, develop them, and use them for a meaningful purpose.
Do not allow your talents to remain unused. A small ability, when cultivated with dedication, can become a powerful instrument for doing good.
O – Overcome Fear and Take Action
One servant in the parable hid the money because he was afraid. Instead of taking responsibility and making an effort, he allowed fear to prevent him from acting.
How often do we behave the same way? We are afraid of making mistakes, being criticized, experiencing failure, or not meeting expectations. Consequently, we postpone our plans, ignore opportunities, and keep our abilities hidden.
But we cannot grow if we refuse to take risks. We cannot discover what God can accomplish through us if we never take the first step.
Faith does not mean that we will never experience difficulties. It means trusting God enough to move forward despite uncertainty. Do not let fear become the reason you waste the opportunities God places before you.
I – Invest Your Time and Talents Wisely
The servants who multiplied what they received demonstrated that they understood their responsibility. They did not simply wait for their master to return. They worked, made decisions, and used their resources productively.
Our time, talents, knowledge, and resources are investments entrusted to us by God. We can invest them in selfish ambitions, temporary pleasures, and personal recognition, or we can use them to improve lives and build a better world.
Invest your time in your family. Invest your abilities in serving others. Invest your knowledge in helping those who need guidance. Invest your resources in worthwhile causes.
Remember, a life becomes meaningful not because of how much we accumulate, but because of how much good we accomplish with what we have received.
N – Never Neglect Your Accountability to God
The nobleman eventually returned and asked his servants to account for their stewardship. This reminds us that our lives are not simply about receiving blessings; they are also about fulfilling responsibilities.
One day, we will have to answer for how we used the opportunities, gifts, and resources entrusted to us. We cannot blame others for everything we failed to accomplish, nor can we expect rewards without responsibility.
Let us therefore live with honesty, humility, and faithfulness. May we never reach the end of our journey regretting the good things we could have done but never attempted.
The COIN in this Gospel is more than money. It represents everything God has entrusted to us: our lives, our talents, our opportunities, and our ability to make a difference.
We cannot control how much we receive, but we can decide how faithfully we use it.
So, stop comparing your gifts with those of others. Stop hiding behind fear. Stop waiting for the perfect moment.
Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can. And make your life count for God’s Kingdom.
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