Homily for Saturday Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time Year C, 27th August, 2022. The Memorial of St. Monica

 Readings: 1Cor.1:26-31; Ps.33; Matt.25:14-30

Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Emenike Onyia

WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR GOD GIVEN TALENTS?

There is not doubt in my mind that God has a plan for everyone of us, for each person has been given a special talent according to his/her ability in order to fulfill that plan, just as we heard in the parable in our Gospel passage today since everyone is special, unique and a masterpiece. 

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. Here, 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. 

Little wonder St. Paul in our first reading today made us to know that “it was to shame the wise that God chose what is foolish by human reckoning, and to shame what is strong that he chose what is weak by human reckoning; those whom the world thinks common and contemptible are the ones that God has chosen.”.

Dear friends, the greatest talents God has given us is our lives which should be nurtured in love. So, what are you doing with this your God given talent? Have you put this talent into 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 life and 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. Hence, 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.

Therefore, we need to learn from St Monica whose memorial we celebrate today, for she devoted her life and talents praying for the conversion of her son Augustine. She once said to him: "son, one thing there was, for which I desired to remain still a little longer in this life, that I should see you a Catholic Christian before I died. This God has granted me in super abundance, in that I see you his servant to the contempt of all worldly happiness. What then am I doing here." So what are we doing in this world with the talents and gift of life God has given us and how are we preparing for the coming of our Lord knowing that we are all travelers in this world.

 

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 through the intercessions of St. Monica 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 fruitful weekend.