The Feast of St Gertrude the Great, Mystic and so much more.

"Bodily and spiritual affliction are the surest sign of Divine predilection. ... Man should always firmly believe that God sends just that trial which is most beneficial for him." (St Gertrude the Great).

"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.

"So he said, “A nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return. He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them,

"‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’

"His fellow citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to announce, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.’

"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.

"The first came forward and said, ‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’

"He replied, ‘Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.’

"Then the second came and reported, ‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’ And to this servant too he said, ‘You, take charge of five cities.’

"Then the other servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief, 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.’

"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; why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’

"And to those standing by he said, ‘Take the gold coin from him and give it to the servant who has ten.’

"But they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’

"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. Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king, bring them here and slay them before me.’”

"After he had said this, he proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem." (Luke 19: 11 - 28).

Wednesday 16th November 2022 of the 33rd week of Ordinary Time is the feast of St Gertrude the Great.  (1256 - 1301). Virgin. German. Known as Gertrude the Great, she was a respected scholar and mystic. Over 300 years before St Margaret Mary Alacoque, Gertrude introduced the Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus to her community and wrote much about it. The Lord Jesus appointed St Margaret Alacoque in the 1600s to establish the Sacred Heart Devotion worldwide.

Pope Benedict XVI, says that St Gertrude “shows us that the heart of a happy life, of a true life, is friendship with the Lord Jesus.”

Our Gospel for today is from Luke 19: 11 - 28. It is called the Parable of the Ten Gold Coins. By the standard of Gospel parables, it is long. It is purposely detailed because Jesus is making a very important point. We are heading to the End of the Liturgical Year and theme of the lectionary readings inspired by the Holy Spirit for the universal Church is End of the World themes. Jesus is heading to Jerusalem for the end of His earthly life. But He will come again.  

What may be considered as the main points of the Parable of the Ten Gold Coins?

#1. Every human being is given the gifts of time, talent and treasure.
#2. At the End of Time, there will be an accountability for the use of every gift.
#3. If you do not know your gifts and your purpose in life, prayerfully invest whatever is necessary to find out the most important information about you, your God-given Purpose. It may be the One Thing Necessary Today and this Advent.

St Gertrude the Great foresaw the universal introduction of Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus by over 300 years.
“O Sacred Heart of Jesus, fountain of eternal life, Your Heart is a glowing furnace of Love. You are my refuge and my sanctuary. O my adorable and loving Savior, consume my heart with the burning fire with which Yours is aflamed." (St Gertrude the Great).

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