Them That Has Gits!

Thursday of 3rd Week in Ordinary Time

2 Sam 7: 18-19, 24-29; Mark 4: 21-25

Dc. Larry Brockman

So, “To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”  Wow!  That sounds so harsh, doesn’t it?

In today’s gospel, Jesus also talks about lamps hidden under the bed or being covered up.  He says these lamps were intended to be out in the open to shed light.  We are the lamps.  We cannot afford to hide under a bed or run for cover in the stream of life.  We are being told to shine the light of Christ for all of our brothers and sisters to see.  And what is it we are to illuminate?  The things hidden in the darkness- those things that are shrouded in secret.  Because light has not shone on them, they need to be exposed for what they are.  Yes, those who are people of the light need to expose evil for what it is- no covering your lamp when you hear of corruption and dishonesty; no hiding under the bed when someone speaks against the law of God; and no turning the other way when Christian values are being compromised.

There are a lot of folks today who do that, you know.  They hide or cover their lights in the name of “freedom”.  They say “After all, who am I to judge”; and “Everyone should have the freedom to live according to their own standard; isn’t that what freedom is all about?”

No, it is not.  Rather, it is our responsibility to save those who are on the wrong track.  It’s part of our responsibility as Christians to evangelize; to shine our light in the darkness.  And what is more, there are consequences if we don’t.

Now I suspect the people of the time didn’t understand this parable either.  So Jesus tells them that those who have ears need to listen.  Jesus probably sensed a Deer in the Headlights response from the people after he said that.  So he made the situation crystal clear.  “To the one who has, more will be given; from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

Just what does that have to do with the whole matter?  Well, grace is a free gift from God.  All of us who were Baptized received the graces of Baptism.  All of us who pray receive graces from God.  All of us who do God’s will, receive graces from God.  There is a relationship between the presence of the Holy Spirit within us, and the graces that we receive.  And to those who do these things, more graces are given, while to those who don’t do these things, fewer graces are given.

It’s all up to us, isn’t it?  It depends on our Faith, our spirituality, our initial and follow-on response to God how much favor, or grace, we receive from God.  And ultimately, if we don’t act on our graces, what graces we have will be dissipated.  We will lose favor with God.

If I said to you  “Things will go smoothly for those who exercise good judgment; whereas things will go poorly for those who don’t.”  All of us could certainly see the logic and fairness to that.    Likewise, to those who make an effort in response to graces, more graces will be received. and to those who don’t make an effort, little will be given, and in fact, they may lose the faith and graces they do have.  And that is definitely fair.

The great challenge in life is not just to believe in God and his work of salvation that saved all of us who believe but to act on that Faith by shining our light as Christians no matter what the world tries to do to us.    And in very clear unmistakable terms, for those who do that  “Them that has, gits”.  And that is as fair as fair can be.

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