Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
Today's Mass Readings
Today gospel reading is about the parable of the talents and how God rewards the ones who fruitfully ttraded with the talents. There are many questions that emerge and many answer we must seek. I am proposing that we understand this parable as being about life itself. I would like to clear two misunderstandings about the parable. First, the parable is not about the use of money. Living in a capitalist society it is easy to think that the best investor is the best person. In our society it is so common to assume that the rich person is rich because he or she is hard working and the poor person is poor because he or she is lazy, or an addict. As the recent financial crisis has revealed, some are rich because they can take the rest of us for a ride. If this parable was about money, then God would always be on the side of the rich. Neither is this parable about human abilities. Surely, I cannot compare myself to Elvins Presley or James Bond, or Hannah Montana or the Pope. If this parable was about talents then God would be always on the side of the very talented.
So how shall we interpret the parable of the talent? Let me first give the context. We are in a special time in the liturgical year and the calendar year. Both the calendars are coming to an end. Add to these the uncertainty of our lives and we realize that we are constantly near the end. As St. Paul says in today’s second reading, “When people are saying, “Peace and security,” then sudden disaster comes upon them...” (1 Thess 5:4). The global financial crisis is a perfect example of what Paul is referring to. In this context, the parable of the talents is God’s way of making us reflect on our lives. This parable is about the gift of life God has given each one of us. This parable is about the deeper meaning of life.
As both the liturgical year and calendar year come to a close, God is gently nudging us to take stock of our lives. This parable is about taking the one life we have and dedicating it to the service of the Kingdom. Hopefully we are making our lives meaningful in God’s eyes. Hopefully each of our lives is being dedicated in the service of the Kingdom.
I am sure there is not a single person who can say, “My life has not meaning for anybody” For our parents, for our children, for our spouse, or for a friend, our lives have had some meaning. God would not have created us if God did not find some meaning for our lives. It is time now to take that life; it is time now to take our one talent or five; it is time now to take the very core of our being and dedicate it to the service of the Kingdom of God.
- Fr. Satish Joseph