Uniquely gifted for the Lord’s work

Homily for 33^rd Sunday of Ordinary Time Year A 2014

Proverbs 31:10-13.19-20.30-31; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6; Matthew 24:14-30

Introduction

For someone from another country like me, American Football is a strange game.

·        For starters, the gear that they have to wear is something to admire.

·        Also, why is the game called football, when they barely touch the ball with the foot?

·        But what causes most confusion is that there are so many different teams: the offensive team, defensive team, special teams.  Each unit seems to have a different skill set and comes on the field to do something unique for the game.  Even the skinny guy has a part to play, that is, to occasionally kick the ball, and thereby give the game the name of “football.”

This is one redeeming quality that has endeared me to the game.  For me, the team in American Football is a good image for the Body of Christ, the Church, where we are one team, but each of us has been gifted differently and has been given different roles.

Scripture and Theology

In the parable of the talents, that we just heard, the three servants are entrusted with different quantities of talents: one is given 5 talents, the second is given 2 talents and the last is given one talent.  And they are all expected to put those talents to good use, for the benefit of their Master.

When we use the word “talent” today, usually we mean a skill or artistic gift that is useful for some activity.  And we see all these various God-given talents at work even at this very Mass, with different ministries (lectors, servers, musicians, ushers) doing different things which they are good at.  We see various gifts coming together to ensure that all the activities of our parish and school run well.  We are one team, using our skills to serve both society and the Church.

But the word talent means more than just a skill.  As used in the gospel story the talent referred to a sum of money, quite a large sum of money, perhaps equivalent to thousands of dollars today.  And so, even for us, a talent should also mean any gift that we have received from God, especially the spiritual gifts we receive, such as the gift of faith.

The Lord wants us to use our talents, our physical skills and our spiritual gifts.  The time frame which he has given us for doing this is now, between his Ascension to the Father and his Second Coming, whose timing we do not know.  Just as the Master in the gospel came back after a long time, Jesus is coming back after a long time to settle accounts with each of us, asking us: how have we used the talents, the gifts that he gave us?

It is part of human nature to compare ourselves with others.  Sometimes we look at others and say, “wow, I wish I could be like so-and-so.”  Or we say, “there is no way I can do what she does.”  And then looking down upon ourselves with pity, we decide, “I am off the hook – I don’t have to do anything.”

The Lord does not like this attitude in Christians.  This is the attitude of the third servant – the one who thought there was nothing he could do, simply because he had only one talent.  We heard that he “went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master's money.”  But we also heard what the Master did to him when he returned.  The Master ordered that this servant be thrown “into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”  He was punished, not for having one miserly talent, but for doing nothing with it.

This example should be a sober warning that, it is not just those who do evil deeds, who are punished, but also those who choose not to do any good.  Saying “But I didn’t do anything!” will not get us off the hook!  That is why at the beginning of Mass each of us confesses that we have greatly sinned, “in what I have done and in what I have failed to do.”

Christian Life

When God created each of us, he made us unique.  God does not run a cookie-cutter operation.  We are not like cookies from the same batch of dough, which look the same, feel the same and taste the same.  We are more like the contents of a trail mix packet, some of which are salty, others are sweet and with every bite we take, our taste buds expect to be surprised.  We are all unique, each having a unique set of gifts and talents, some more, some less.  But God expects us to use them, whatever they are, to produce profit for him.

What better profit to give him, than bringing others to the Lord!  We should use our talents in evangelization, helping others know and fall in love with Jesus.

·        The family is a natural starting place for us to do this.  Most of us received our faith from our parents and grandparents.  They had us baptized, brought us to Mass with them, taught us the basic doctrines and prayers, but most importantly by their daily example of Christian life, taught us to love Jesus and follow him.  Parents can proudly come before the Lord and pointing to their children or grandchildren say: “Master you gave me five talents, here are five more.”

·        But even outside the family, we can share that gift of faith at the workplace and among friends.  Perhaps some of us came to the faith because of friends and co-workers.  Perhaps it was not even because of what they said, but rather it was seeing the joy and peace in their lives that they drew us to their Catholic faith.  Co-workers and friends can proudly come before the Lord and pointing to each other say: “Master you gave me two talents, here are two more.”

·        For those among us who are teachers, especially teachers of the faith, we use our talents when we teach with words, when we teach by our example, even when we challenge and discipline our students.  You probably remember a particular teacher who had a great influence in your life.

Mine was an Irish missionary.  Even though he did not have those cool and charismatic gifts we usually look for in a teacher, Father Harney was amazing.  He was quiet and shy.  But he taught us just about every subject including from science to Latin.  He coached us in all the sports activities (soccer, basketball, volleyball or tennis), even though he had no athletic bone in him.  Father Harney run the scouting club, the debating club, the drama club and the Legion of Mary club.

But what has stayed with me all these years is not all these things he did for us, but that he offered himself completely to make us into the men that we are today.  And he did this because of his faith, leaving his home in Ireland and coming to Uganda where he lived for almost all his adult life.  I have no doubt that when the Lord asks him what he did with his talents, hundreds of alumni from my school will show up as evidence of his work.

Conclusion

And so, when the Lord calls us, as he will certainly do, what can we show for our efforts of preaching the gospel by word and example?  Let us remember that showing up just by ourselves is not an option.  That would be selfish and unacceptable, since it would mean returning the talent to the Lord just as he gave it to us.

Rather, I hope that we can show up with others, who are the works of our hand, our words and our example so that the Lord will say to us: “Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities.  Come, share your master's joy.’”