SUNDAY NOVEMBER 19, 2023
SUNDAY OF THE THIRTY THIRD WEEK OF THE ORDINARY TIME OF THE YEAR A
Proverbs 31:10-13.19-20.30-31
1Thessalonians 5:1-6
Matthew 25:14-30
INVESTING FOR ETERNAL LIFE
There is always this natural instinct in man to invest for the future. Even at old age, people still work for their tomorrow. No one consumes everything he/she possesses. Our future is always remembered and necessarily provided for. Even some persons who plan their funeral by themselves are also investing for the future.
The question Jesus asks us in today’s gospel is what are you doing with all the gifts he has endowed you with. Are they useful for your future and for your eternal salvation? Or rather, how are you investing them for eternal life?
The call to invest for eternal life begins immediately one is born into the world. It is the daily life we live, the daily struggles and activities that we indulge in and that prepares us for our eternal life.
So, Jesus reminds us in the parable of the talents that God has endowed us with so much gifts and talents ready to be used and invested. Such talents are so much and given to us according to our capacities. Some five talents, others two and still others one. But what we do with these talents determines the place and conditions of our eternal life.
For the men with five and two talents who invested their talents, their reward awaits them. But the man who hid his talent and did not invest it, had himself thrown into the eternal suffering and punishment where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.
The need to discover and invest our talents into practical and sincere use is therefore called for in our lives here on earth. And we are Investing and working with the expectation and intention of doing it for Christ and for our eternal life.
In essence, recognising our God given talents is a primary duty incumbent in us all. That we have alot to offer the world. Talents comes in different types. It could be monitory, wisdom, energy for movement, intelligence, avaliability, and others. It could also be a combination of many or some. But the point is that all men have been endowed with one or more talents to be invested into the future kingdom. No one is lacking and no one is cheated.
These talents are gifts given in trust. As gifts we are not originators, but we are endowed gratuitously with them for a purpose beyond us. Whatever you possess that is not so much useful to you, is a gift meant for others. Such talents are not precisely for ourselves in particular but always for the service of God and humanity. They are not given for pride, or for personal gratification.
The purpose of talents are varied and necessary. Some are for human gratification, others for enhancement, and many for sanctification and enjoyment. Never for self. To deny the use of gifts or talents is a negation already. It creates lack in human sphere. Not to invest any into human sphere brings grave defect in human structure and living. Under using of these gifts creates scarcity and limitations to human resources. So it is a grave sin to humanity when such gifts or talents are not invested because it deprives the entire humanity of what God intended for humanity.
That is why it is punishable by God at the end of time. The Scripture says that we must give an account of what we have done with it. And on it hangs our judgement, either our condemnation or our upliftment and glorification in heaven. And this questions our use of our talents on how well we are investing for eternal life?
The first reading uses the example or rather analogy of the faithful wife to drive home the point that we need to be faithful, sincere and industrious in the use of our talents. The good and faithful wife is such because she gets to work, she attends to her work, she shows and acted with what she possesses. So the qualification for her being good is predicated on her working as a mother in the house, attending to her job as a wife. “She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands. She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle. She opens her hand to the poor, and reaches out her hands to the needy.” And beyond all these, “Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.”
So fear of the Lord is the backbone of her motivation. Fear of the coming of Christ, gains of eternal life and life with God. Fear of the Lord pushes her to invest.
And then the second reading reminds us that the Lord is coming at a time. A day we do not know. So, we keep working, investing in eternal life by making use of our talents.
Here practical Christianity is what is needed. It begins with availability, progresses with earnest good working ethics that seeks to serve humanity. It slaves, it invest, it exhausts oneself, it gives out and continue giving without counting the cost. It is sacrificial offering of oneself, one talents, one gifts, ones time and endowment. It keeps giving until the last breath of man. It is investing without reserving any for oneself.
This is our mandate, this is our calling, this is the Christian life and sacrifice.
Our harvest thanksgiving is another occasion God calls us to invest and give for the upkeep, growth and maintenance of the Church. It is a spiritual exercise that calls for thanksgiving, or appreciating God’s love, mercy, kindness and forgiveness. Let us sow into the house of God as he calls us and do it cheerfully and gratefully. And May our harvest thanksgiving bring us blessings and unending favours through Christ our Lord.
Heavenly Father, you have endowed us with so much beyond our use. Help us to appropriate these gifts and channel them to their effective use in our world. May we never be selfish, greedy, lazy & indifferent in dispensing these gifts. Help us to see the urgency in acting for the good of humanity and for our eternal salvation through Christ our Lord
Fr Norbert Uchuno
