DO NOT BURY WHAT GOD HAS ENTRUSTED TO YOU

Homily for the Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

Fr. Ugochukwu Ugwoke, ISch

Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6; Matthew 25:14-30.

One of the greatest mistakes we can make in life is to focus so much on what we do not have that we fail to appreciate and use what has already been entrusted to us. We sometimes compare ourselves with others, become discouraged by their achievements and overlook the opportunities God has placed within our reach. Today’s Gospel challenges us to recognise that every gift comes with a responsibility.

Jesus tells the parable of a man who, before travelling abroad, entrusts his property to three servants. One receives five talents, another two, and the third one, each according to his ability. The first two servants put their master’s money to work and double what they receive, while the third digs a hole and buries his talent (Mt 25:14-18). When the master returns, he praises the first two for their faithfulness, but condemns the third for his failure to act.

It is important to understand that a talent in this parable is a measure of money, not originally a reference to personal abilities, as we often use the word today. Nevertheless, the principle applies to everything God entrusts to us: our abilities, opportunities, time, resources and responsibilities. Notice also that the master does not expect all three servants to produce the same result. Each is entrusted with a different amount, but each is expected to be faithful with what he receives. God does not ask us to become someone else; he asks us to make fruitful use of what he has given us.

The third servant’s problem is not simply that he receives less than the others. It is that fear prevents him from doing anything with what he has been given. He buries the talent and then blames his master for his own inaction. How often do we behave similarly? We allow fear of failure, criticism, uncertainty or comparison with others to prevent us from using our gifts. We bury opportunities to serve, delay good decisions and keep our abilities hidden instead of putting them at the service of others.

St Paul reminds us in the second reading that we are children of light and children of the day, called to remain alert and sober (1 Thes 5:1-6). Christian readiness is therefore not passive waiting; it is a life of active faithfulness. Similarly, the first reading praises the woman whose wisdom is evident in her diligence, generosity and care for the needy (Prov 31:10-31). Her life demonstrates that goodness becomes visible through what we do.

As we approach the end of the liturgical year, let us ask ourselves what we are doing with what God has entrusted to us. Are we multiplying our gifts through service, generosity and commitment, or are we burying them through fear and complacency?

One day, the Lord will ask not how much we received, but what we did with what we received. May we use our gifts faithfully and hear those beautiful words: “Well done, good and faithful servant. Come, share your master’s joy.”