Reflection for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

 

PUT YOUR TALENTS INTO GOOD USE

Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke, ISch

Readings: Wisdom 6:12-16, 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6, Matthew 25:1-13

 

We are gradually coming to the end of the calendar year as well as the Church’s liturgical year. With the celebration of the Solemnity of Christ the King next Sunday, the liturgical year ends and a new year begins with the first Sunday of Advent; the season in which we prepare for the coming of the Savior. As such, the readings of these past Sundays have been focusing on the end time, the return of the master and how we are to prepare ourselves for his coming. Today’s gospel reading is on the parable of the Talents in which a master before leaving for another country, summoned his three servants and entrusted his property to them. To the first he gave five talents of gold; to the second, two talents and the third, one; each one according to his unique ability. While the first two invested their own talents and earned more, the last servant hid his own and had nothing extra to present to his master on his return (Matt. 25:14-30).

Dear friend, the talents here refer not simply to money but to the specific material or spiritual abilities, gifts and qualities which we possess. Like the servants in the gospel reading, the Lord has given each one of us different measures of talents, according to our individual abilities (Matt. 25:15). The talents are not given for us to store them up or to keep them to ourselves. They are rather given to us for us to put them at the service of God’s kingdom here on earth. The servant who dug a hole in the ground and hid his talent represents those of us who are lazy to use and selfish to share the gifts that God has given us. The attitude of the third servant can be likened to the recent behavior of some of our political leaders who instead of distributing Covid-19 palliatives to the people, selfishly chose to lock them up in warehouses while scores of Nigerians were dying of hunger and starvation.

Let us bear in mind that no one respects a talent that is concealed. The different gifts and talents that we have are tools meant to be used properly and not treasures to be stored up. Palliatives are items meant to be given out and not things to be stored up. Iron rusts from disuse and inaction saps the vigor of the mind. it is only by working that we grow. As such, let us bring every virtue and gift of our life, to Christ's service. Let us use well the gifts that have been given to us and develop our talents into greater skill for service. The parable also urges to always strive to excel and never stand with idle hands for a moment, because we must give account for each gift and moment we spend on earth. If you have material or spiritual gifts, do not allow them to rest in dusty niches. Take them all down and put life into them, that they may be useful. As St. Peter admonishes us “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10).