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Home  / News & Publications /  Michigan Catholic News / 2008 /  The gifts of the Lord include responsibility

by Fr. Richard C. Macey special to The Michigan Catholic
Published November 7, 2008

First Reading: Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31

The Book of Proverbs is one of the wisdom books. It is a collection of wise sayings. When prophecy no longer appeared in the history of God's people, they looked to creation and their history for advice and guidance from God in the choices which they were offered each day. Wisdom literature, prevalent throughout the Near East, provided divine insight.

This chapter concludes the book. It is selected verses from the longest passage, half a chapter. Most of the book is a collection of short sayings. Elsewhere, women are not written about with high expectation. But here, at the very end of the book, an unnamed housewife is upheld as the model of wisdom. Her hardworking attention to the needs of the household were a model for God's own care for the House of Israel.

The entire passage of 22 verses comprises an acrostic. Each line begins with the next letter of the Hebrew alphabet. The entire alphabet shows completeness and order, two traits of the work of God the Creator. The subject matter demonstrates that the actions of an individual, especially on behalf of others, ennobles them. Although the woman is obviously of the upper class, she does not disdain the role she assumes in both directing others and taking on work herself, as she manages the household. She exhibits the quality of "(reverential) fear of the Lord," a virtue which is prized in wisdom literature.

Second Reading: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6

The First Letter to the Thessalonians is reputedly the earliest of the extant works of St. Paul. He assures the people that their faith is a light to guide them through very uncertain times. They have the assurance of the promises of the Lord to support them. Paul urges them to "stay alert and sober." They are not to be overcome by the distractions of the present life nor overcome by its temptations.

The "times and seasons" are a translation of two different Greek words for "time." The first refers to time in general. The second refers to a specific time. The Day of the Lord is the final judgment of God upon all creation. It is used in prophetic works to refer to the justice of God, which will be re-established. It also implies the renewal of the people of God, their vindication before their enemies. This day "is coming," used in the present tense to affirm the certainty of the day. Paul poses it against "night … darkness," contrasting the present age with the "children of the light … of the day." These terms have both an eschatological nuance (expectation of the second coming of the Lord) and a moral one (practicing virtue). The first act of creation was to separate the light from darkness. Judgment gave the appropriate reward to the actions of each person.

The "peace and security" proclaimed by "the people" are false prophesy. They were a political slogan for the Roman Empire, which enslaved other and claimed divine power. True peace, shalom, is also a gift from God. It is sufficiency and security in every part of one's life. But it also requires a positive response by the people who receive it. It is dangerous to be lulled into a false sense of security, to "sleep as the rest do."

Gospel: Matthew 25:14-30

The parable of the talents includes both reward and punishment. It recognizes that what we have to offer is a gift from God. Everyone has something to offer. The story also challenges the disciples to use what has been given to them – use it or lose it! Like any talent or training, it requires practice or it is lost. This is a vision of what Jesus thinks about the Church that He leaves behind, but which He has not abandoned. The parable addresses both the present life of the disciple and the promises of what is to come in the final judgment.

The relationship between the one who has the money and those who are given it is master-to-servant. Thus, the money gained belongs to the master. It is important to give a Christological interpretation, to see the master as Christ who promised to return in the parousia. He can be trusted to provide for the good of His servants. The fate of the first two servants is contrasted with the fate of the third. The parable spends the greatest amount of time with him. This parable is in the part of the Gospel which treats of the final judgment. The "long time" before the master's return reflects the Matthean Church's understanding of the delayed second coming of Christ. The history of interpretation on this passage has made the servants either the leaders in the Church through ordination or all members through baptism.

The profitable servants are invited to "share your master's joy." It is not called a reward, since what they were given still belonged to the master. It was the "master's money." "More will be given" describes an overabundance, which is not commensurate with what one has done on one's own.

Observing nature has taught me a lot about the overabundance, which is given without deserving it or earning it. Many years ago, I followed the progress of some sunflowers which no one seemed to have planted near the entrance to the Church. They may have been spread from some seed thrown at a wedding. They grew so quickly! I used them throughout the late summer months as an exposition for some of the parables in my bulletin articles and homilies – the mustard seed, the seed planted on different soil, and several others that were in the lectionary that year. The flowers were huge and filled with seed. Their bright color sparked a comment and a smile from the people, especially the children, who approached the front door of the Church. When they reached their peak, the squirrels gnawed off the heads and dragged them away for food.

That experience encouraged me to look for the unexpected rewards of life that surround me. Part of the work of proclaiming the Gospel is pointing out the obvious gifts which God has already poured out upon us. They can be found in the least likely places and in every person whom we meet. To recognize them is true wisdom and a lasting reward.

Fr. Richard C. Macey is pastor of Our Lady of the Woods Parish, Woodhaven.