{"id":194,"date":"2011-11-13T12:43:07","date_gmt":"2011-11-13T17:43:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/?p=194"},"modified":"2011-11-23T12:46:06","modified_gmt":"2011-11-23T17:46:06","slug":"using-your-talents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/?p=194","title":{"rendered":"Using Your Talents"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/font><\/p>\n

33rd \u00a0<\/span>Sunday in Ordinary Time<\/o:o:p><\/span><\/h3>\n

Prv 31: 10-13, 19-20, 30-31; 1 Thes 5: 1-6; Mt 25: 14-30<\/o:o:p><\/span><\/h3>\n

Dc. Larry Brockman<\/o:o:p><\/h3>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/font><\/o:o:p><\/span><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

Suppose I handed you a bag with 80 pounds of silver in it, and told you to take care of it for me while I was gone?\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Well, that\u2019s what a single \u201cTalent\u201d was in Jesus day- 80 pounds of silver- 80 pounds of it.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>That\u2019s about 17 years-worth of daily wages for the average worker at the time.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>So, one single Greek \u201cTalent\u201d was a very large sum of money.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>And yet the least of the three servants was entrusted with this much by the Master.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Other servants were given twice as much or five times as much.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/o:o:p><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/font><\/o:o:p><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

This really sheds a different light for me on this parable, because the reality is that all three servants were entrusted with significant responsibility, protecting a large sum of money.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Now, the Master is said to be gone for a long time.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Our Bible scholars tell us that \u201cthe long time\u201d referred to here is the length of time between Jesus Resurrection and the second coming of Christ; and that all of us are the servants, each gifted by God with a generous, yet unequal share of talents.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>We will be asked to give an accounting of ourselves at the Last Judgment, just like the three servants in the parable.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Although we are each given varying and different talents, we are all expected to use them- make them work in the service of the Lord- equally.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>And those who don\u2019t do something with their talents will be thrown out of the Kingdom of God.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/o:o:p><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/font><\/o:o:p><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s consider a few things about the details in this parable.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>First, the talents were given to \u201cservants\u201d; not to sons, friends, or other relationships.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Second, a single talent was quite valuable, as I\u2019ve already pointed out.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Third, the talents were entrusted, not given outright to the servants.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>So, they always belonged to the Master, not to the servants.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>And lastly, the task that the servants had \u00a0<\/span>was to do something with the talents for the Master.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The Master intended for his wealth to be handled prudently, but not locked up in isolation.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/o:o:p><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/font><\/o:o:p><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

Each of us is entrusted with one or more gifts by God.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>We don\u2019t own them- they are not ours to do with as we wish.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>And they are gifts, not something we have earned.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Rather, we are loaned the talent or talents so that we will do something with them for God.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>We are his servants when it comes to stewardship of these talents\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>We cannot lock them up.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/o:o:p><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/font><\/o:o:p><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

Now, some of us seem more fortunate than others.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Some are gifted with good looks, brains, athleticism, and money- in fact some seem to have everything.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>I see that these gifted people are seated to your left and right.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Others seem to have nothing, at least by this World\u2019s standards.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Most of us are somewhere in between.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>But God has given each of us a valuable talent- that\u2019s part of the message.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Yes, each of us has been given at least 80 pounds of silver, as it were.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>We just have to recognize what our gifts are.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/o:o:p><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/font><\/o:o:p><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

These gifts may be disguised as something else, for example- caring for children, caring for an elderly relative, or learning to live with a disability.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>These can all be viewed as gifts rather than a problem.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>In God\u2019s eyes, children and the elderly are as valuable as any other life.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>So, being a custodian for such lives is like caring for precious gold or silver.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>It is, after all, the Lord who decides what is valuable and needs to be cared for, not us.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/o:o:p><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/font><\/o:o:p><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

It is different for people who recognize their gift, but bury it.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>For example, some people continuously hear a call by the Lord.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>We know a priest from another Diocese who was ordained later in life- in his 50\u2019s.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He told us that he had run away from God\u2019s call for 20 years!\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>And, even though he had been successful in the business world, smething wasn\u2019t quite right.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>So, in the end, he went into the seminary.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Likewise, some of you are being called by God and know it- that is your gift.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Are you hiding it?\u00a0 <\/span>Suppressing it?\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>It doesn\u2019t have to be a religious call, although sometimes it will be.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>It could be a nagging feeling about something that you perceive is not quite right; something you feel you need to do something about but, you just haven\u2019t acted on it.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>It could be getting involved with politics; helping by volunteering your time or talent; learning more about your faith.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>All of these are ways to follow through on a call to use your talent.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/o:o:p><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/font><\/o:o:p><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

And then there are those who have and recognize a talent but; they really don\u2019t use it much.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>They may have a beautiful voice- but don\u2019t join the choir.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>They are a great teacher- but are deaf to the call for helping with CCD or Prep.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Or any of a number of artistic capabilities that remain dormant.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Did you know that burying a large sum of money was a perfectly acceptable practice to keep it secure in Jesus day and age?\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Likewise, there are many legitimate excuses for burying our talents today, such as a sense of false humility or fear or just the turmoil of life.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Every one of us can understand such roadblocks.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>The question is, how will God view them?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/o:o:p><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/font><\/o:o:p><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

Notice that the servants in the parable have been given plenty of time- the \u201clong while\u201d that Jesus speaks of, to use their talents while the Master is gone.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Two of them do, basically doubling their Master\u2019s wealth; only one of the servants does not.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Likewise, all of us have been given a lifetime.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Things happen in life, and that\u2019s OK.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>That\u2019s why God is patient with us, and for most of us, gives us 50 to 90 years.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>But the point is that God has given us adequate opportunities because he has given us a lifetime.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/o:o:p><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/font><\/o:o:p><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

Now St. Paul tells us about the second coming of Christ in the second reading:\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>He says \u201cIt will come like a thief in the night\u201d.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>So, it could be at any time.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>That\u2018s the catch- we have been given a lifetime, but we just don\u2019t know when it will end.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/o:o:p><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/font><\/o:o:p><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n

Over this weekend, the Parish is conducting seven funerals- an uncharacteristically large number.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>And they are being held for 3 year olds all the way up to folks in their 80\u2019s. \u00a0<\/span>This points to the truth of Paul\u2019s epistle.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>Because God could call any one of us to our Judgment at any time, just like these seven people have been called.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span>But are you ready?\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/span><\/o:o:p><\/font><\/p>\n

<\/font><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

33rd \u00a0Sunday in Ordinary Time Prv 31: 10-13, 19-20, 30-31; 1 Thes 5: 1-6; Mt 25: 14-30 Dc. Larry Brockman \u00a0 Suppose I handed you a bag with 80 pounds of silver in it, and told you to take care of it for me while I was gone?\u00a0\u00a0 Well, that\u2019s what a single \u201cTalent\u201d was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[4],"tags":[84,82,83],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/194"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=194"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/194\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=194"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=194"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.deaconlarry.org\/blog\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=194"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}