Sunday Reflections: THIRTY THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR A)

THIRTY THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR A)

Prov 31:10-15, 19-20, 30-31; 1Thess 5:1-6; Matt 25:14-30

image credit: Mangalore Diocese

Stories for the day: 

Play it safe: There is an old story about two farmers visiting over a fence in early Spring. “Jake,” the first one said, “What are you going to plant this year, corn?” “Nope,” Jake replied, “scared of the corn borer.” “Well, what about potatoes?” his neighbor asked. “Nope, too much danger of potato bugs,” announced Jake. The neighbor pressed on, “Well, then, what are you going to plant?” Jake answered, “Nothing! I’m going to play it safe.” In today’s Gospel Jesus tells the story of a lazy servant, like Jake, who buried his talent instead of doing business with it.

The man who did not bury his talent: Antonio Stradivari was born in Cremona, Italy, in 1644. Because Antonio’s voice was high and squeaky, he did not pass the audition for the Cremona Boys’ Choir. When he took violin lessons, the neighbors persuaded his parents to make him stop. Yet Antonio still wanted to make music. His friends made fun of him because his only

talent was wood-carving. When Antonio was 22, he became an apprentice to a well-known violinmaker, Nicholas Amati. Under his master’s training Antonio’s knack for carving grew, and his hobby became his craft. He started his own violin shop when he was 36. He worked patiently and faithfully. By the time he died at 93, he had built over 1,500 violins, each one bearing a label that read, “Antonius Stradivarius Cremonensis Faciebat Anno……” (“Antonio Stradivarius of Cremona made in the year…”) They are the most sought-after violins in the world and sell for more than $100,000 each. Antonio couldn’t sing, or play, or preach, or teach, but he used the ability he had, and his violins are still making beautiful music today. Antonio is a challenge to people who have only a single talent and who try to bury the talent for fear of failure — like the lazy servant in Jesus’ parable.

Message: 

The parable of today gives us four important lessons. 

First, it tells us that God gives each person different gifts.  Despite our tendencies always to compare ourselves with others, the actual number and quality is not important. We are only asked to make full use of what we have been uniquely given and to use them for the benefit of the community as a whole. When everyone does that, the community is enriched. 

Second, our work is never completed. The first two servants showed how much they had earned; they were not told they could sit back and rest. Rather because of their trustworthiness, even greater responsibilities were given to them.  The more one has, the more will be given to him.  

Third, the person who does nothing will be punished. The man with one talent did not lose it. He did not do anything at all with it. If he had tried and failed, he would have met compassion and forgiveness. Even the person with one miserable talent has something to offer to others. Every person has the responsibility to be active in the Kingdom. 

Finally, to the one who has more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. It seems rather unfair, like robbing the poor to pay the rich. But Jesus is rather saying that those who share generously the gifts they have been given are likely to find themselves constantly enriched. Those who jealously preserve what they have been given, hoard it and go into their shell in fear of the outside world are likely to shrivel up and die. Those who save their lives will lose it; those who share generously what they have with others, will find themselves immeasurably enriched. It is the law of the Gospel; it also a law of life which many of us, in practice, find hard to believe.

Act:

Today’s Gospel challenges us to ask the questions: “Am I using my talents and gifts primarily to serve God? Am I doing everything I can to carry out God’s will?” The parable of the talents challenges us to do something positive, constructive and life-affirming with our talents here and now.

(You are most welcome to add you reflections and comments below)

Happy Sunday