Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today's Mass Readings

Lynn McGarry was only 37 years old. She was married altogether for 12 years and had two kids; one is now in 8th grade and the other in 5nd grade. Lynn’s father was a Catholic and her mother, a Jew. Lynn herself received no formal training in any of these religions. However, after her marriage to Ed, she decided to join the RCIA. It was during this journey to become a Catholic that Lynn discovered that she had cancer. That was ten years back. I don’t know much about Lynn’s life prior to her cancer but since then, she was one heck of a Christian woman. She was known for this mysterious inner strength in her fight against the disease. In spite of her struggles, she was always more concerned about other people fighting cancer. The 2006 Relay for Life was held in her honour. Her desires were simple, like being there for her children’s first Holy Communion. She so badly wanted to be healed of her cancer, but when asked if she asked God “Why me?” she said “Why not me?” If people remember Lynn, they remember her only for her faith her goodness, and her inner strength. I celebrated her funeral mass and I ended the homily with the words, “Here lies a saint.” It is in the context of the Lynn’s life that I want to discuss the parable of the talents. 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. If this parable was about money, God would be like Donald Trumph in “The Apprentice.” Neither is this parable about human abilities. Surely, I cannot compare myself to Elvis Presley or James Bond, or Hannah Montana or the Pope. If this parable was about talents as we understand it, then God would be like Simon Cowell in American Idol.

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. The practical implications I discuss below will make this point even clearer.

Let me offer three practical implications that emerge from these readings. I would like to present these readings in the form of three questions.

1) 1) What is the meaning we see for our lives? Let us for a moment think of our lives. It is not rare that people think that they have not been dealt a fair hand. These days for example, the financial security of a large number of people is at risk. And then there can be a thousand other reasons why we can feel like the person with one talent. For example, illness, broken relationships, and loneliness can really make us question the meaning of life. Nevertheless, there still is the one life God has given us. Let us go back to the example of Lynn’s life. As far as money was concerned Lynn could not boast of much. She was perhaps not the cutest child or the prettiest woman as she grew up. But as today’s first reading suggests, she was a wonderful wife and a dedicated mother. She took her terminal illness and used it to witness to her faith in God. She used it to bring love to her family. She used it to spread hope and goodness to others. In spite of having dealt with only one talent she made something meaningful of her life. So the first practical implication is this: 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.

2) How meaningful is our life for the people God has given us? Most often the meaning and purpose of life is discovered not only in relation to God but also in relation to those around us. Once again, let us refer back to Lynn’s life. Lynn did not curse her misfortune; she did not complain against her creator; but rather, she took what she had and made a difference in the lives of people. Lynn was 37 and she was a lay woman. I am 42 and I am a priest. I have travelled more places than Lynn ever did. I have preached more than Lynn ever would have. But in her short life, she touched the lives of people more deeply than I ever will. The second practical implication is this: our lives must be meaningful not only in the eyes of God but also of one another. Our lives must bring meaning and hope to those around us. Hopefully our life is bringing hope and meaning to other people.

3) What does our life bear witness to? When I look back at Lynn’s life I can see that she bore witness to faith, love, hope and goodness. If we have to go back home today and write down those virtues that characterize our lives, what would they be? If we had to write down the people to whom we have brought meaning, who would they be? I am sure there is not a single person who can say, “My life has no 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.

In conclusion let me say that this Eucharist is a perfect place to ponder upon the parable of the talents. Here we are in the presence of God and one another. Here we encounter the God who took his life and dedicated it to the service of the Kingdom and others. In the bread and wine transformed into the body and blood of Jesus we discover the meaning and purpose of our own lives. In thanksgiving, let us make our own lives meaningful for God and others. Amen.

- Fr. Satish Joseph