From the Gospel accoording to Luke 19:11-28

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.

The seed of faith is that gold mine the Lord places in our hands on the day of our baptism. A small seed planted in my soul, which now depends on my care until the Lord returns and asks me how I made it bear fruit.
How am I caring for my faith? Am I nourishing it with prayer and the sacraments? Am I watering it with spiritual formation? Am I protecting it from worldly “plagues”? Am I helping it grow, or am I letting it die? A seed cannot grow in thin air; it needs soil—and that soil is our real, concrete life: our marriage, our family. My faith and my marriage are inseparable; I cannot love God and fail to love my spouse (1 John 4,20). Faith and love work the same way: they only grow when they are cared for.  “To everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” If we care for the seed of faith, it will grow, and I will receive more grace from God, more of His love, and my marriage will also flourish because the Lord will dwell more and more in our hearts.
But if I neglect it, I will lose it. I will lose my faith, I will lose God’s grace, and I may end up ruining my marriage.
Because without God my soul—and my marriage—dies.

Beth: What a good piece of advice Andrew and Charlotte gave us, do you remember? It was many years ago, but only now do I realise the depth of wisdom in those words.
Richard: Refresh my memory—I’m not sure what you’re talking about…
Beth: Come on, you know—the day you told them you had no faith, and they answered that yes, you did have faith, only perhaps you hadn’t cared for it. They encouraged you to start living as if you had faith, and then the seed would begin to grow again…
Richard: And they were absolutely right… I remember starting to pray however I could, going to confession, going to Mass without understanding a thing— and then it happened… my faith began to sprout again… and from then on it has grown day by day…
Beth: That advice helped me as well. I used to say I had faith, but… in reality it meant nothing in my life. It was like an ornament, a traditional, theoretical faith… No wonder things were going as they were—two parallel lives under the same roof…
Richard: How good the Lord is, coming to our rescue with that “heavenly piece of advice”.

Mother,

When the Lord returns, may He find in our hearts a great faith and a true love. Help us, dear Mother. Blessed and praised be you!