2 Maccabees 7:1, 20-31 / Luke 19:11-28
The word "accountability" is an often used word, not just in the secular world of banking and business, but also in religious institutions.
For all the things that went wrong and ended up with people losing their investments, for money that is not accounted for, for not doing a duty, someone or some people must be accountable.
The price of accountability can be anything from just a public verbal apology to even committing suicide to make amends.
In the Christian understanding of accountability, we acknowledged that God has endowed each of us with particular gifts.
It was God's initiative to grant us His gifts. Our accountability to God's gifts is that we use these gifts for His glory in the service of others.
We can be sure of this : what God has given, He will never take away or take it back.
So we can say that what is ours can never be taken away from us.
But we can just give it up ; we can just ignore it or neglect it.
In the 1st reading, we see how the mother and her seven sons did not give up what was theirs - their faith in God.
Not even torture or death could take it away from them.
On the other hand, the third servant in the gospel parable just ignored and neglected what was given to him.
The readings of today help us to reflect and think about what are the gifts that God has endowed us with.
We may be aware of some of these gifts ; others are waiting to be discovered as life unfolds.
Whatever it is, let us use our gifts generously for the glory of God and for the service of others in their need.
For it is only in the glory of God, that man is fully alive and responding to the talents and gifts God has given him.