WHAT IS YOUR GOD GIVEN TALENT AND HOW ARE YOU UTILIZING IT?

 Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, 15th November, 2020.

Readings: Prov.31:10-13.19-20.30-31, Ps.128, 1Thess 5:1-6, Matt. 25:14-30

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia.

WHAT IS YOUR GOD GIVEN TALENT AND HOW ARE YOU UTILIZING IT?

Pope Francis since 2017 the year of Our Lord, dedicated every last Sundays before the Solemnity of Christ the King, as the World Day of the Poor. An occasion where we are all reminded of the poor, those people in our community who are  lacking basic needs of life as they depend on others to survive. Therefore we are called to be of help the best we could knowing that God has a plan for everyone of us, each person has been given a special talent according to his/her ability in order to fulfill that plan. So everyone no matter you present condition is special, unique and a masterpiece. This is evident in our Gospel passage today, where Jesus told us the parable of the talents. 

In this parable a man who was going for a journey summoned his servants and entrusted his property to them. To one he gave five talents, to another two, to a third one; each in proportion to his ability to utilize it until he comes back. Thus, Jesus is telling us that we have all been given gifts by God which we must account for. If we use these gifts wisely for our own benefit and the benefit of others, we will grow and blossom. If on the other hand we fail to use them just like the third servant, we remain dormant  and unsuccessful. 

But what is this talent all about? The talent may represent different physical and spiritual gifts of God, but it's  basic foundation is the love of God towards us, the love that God has shown to us which needs to be reciprocated through an active love for our neighbours. So, this parable teaches us that our gifts are meant to be put to use, in service of God and humanity especially the poor. Our service to God should not be done grudgingly or fearfully but generously and the willingness to take risks in responding to God's mandate. 

We must be ready to lose our life in order to find it. God wants us to use the individual talents given to us to make a difference in the world, not to relax into our comfort zone doing nothing with them. God wants the best from us and when we have given our best, we receive more from him. However, we often fine it difficult to discover our talents or to accept the one God has given to us because we have failed to embrace love.

Dear friends, what is your talent? Have you put it in full use? Or have you buried it out of fear, ignorance and shame? For we are called today to search and discover our talent, to discover love and invest on it in order to achieve the purpose by which we are created just like the first two servants in the parable of the talents who utilized the talents given to them.

Little wonder our first reading today gives us an example of a very industrious and virtuous woman who utilized her talent in helping her husband and the poor knowing that the day of the Lord is coming like a thief in the night, just as we heard in our second reading today. Therefore, we are reminded that we are going to give an account before God and the real tragedy of life is not in being limited to one talent but in failure to use that one talent properly.

LET US PRAY: Lord God, you have given us a special talent according to our ability in order to fulfill your plans for us. Help us to discover our talents and utilize them in such a way that it will lead us to love you and our neighbours, especially the poor and so attain eternal life. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen. Do have a glorious Sunday celebration.