33rd Sunday Ordinary Time - November 19th, 2023 (Click Here for Readings)

In the same way the master in this Sunday's Gospel parable invests in his servants to grow his account, Christ invests in us to help grow his kingdom. With the “talents” he gives us; our skills, abilities, opportunities, relationships, positions and so much more; this parable should alert us to live for him with all our hearts and make a good “accounting” on the day we face him.

When Christ ascended into heaven, he left his church, his kingdom and property for us to steward. He gave each of us talents in which to serve and benefit others in our own individual ways so that we might parlay his investment in us.

But it’s amazing how many of us can put 110 percent into improving our career skills and professions, and only put half-hearted efforts into our career work for Christ.

We ought to be putting as much zeal into the prosperity of Christ’s kingdom as into the prosperity of our temporal and worldly lives. We need to “let go of the plough” more often and transfer some of our precious God-given time over for many more important Christ-centered purposes.  

Small is Big in God’s Eyes

The talents we’ve been blessed with may be more or less than others. But bringing one person to Christ or saving one soul can have more impact on God’s kingdom than a celebrity or brilliant preacher giving momentary spiritual uplifts to large audiences that fade away overnight. When we do our best with the talents we have, we’ll be equally as commended from our Lord as those who seemingly do larger things.

We cannot afford to be the third servant in today’s Gospel who buried his talents for fear of losing them for his master. We cannot be do-nothings for Jesus for fear of losing our friendships, worldly opportunities or self-preserved comfortable worldly lives. We are not called to hide from Jesus by living a life of our choosing.

There is no evangelization for Christ without risk. Ours is not a safe faith in which to bury for our own personal rejoicing and privacy. We need to take on more of a
go-for-broke attitude in using our talents for the building of God’s kingdom.

God took a risk with us by giving his son to us for our salvation, and we should be willing to take risks for him in return as well.

As St. Paul commends the Thessalonians for not burying themselves in peaceful and secure lives like others, and being prepared to account for themselves when Jesus comes again, may we be regularly inspired by his letter this Sunday.

Let us consider all the talents we’ve been blessed that have been buried in our
to-do lists?  Let us think of new ways to stoke up and cultivate those talents, and resolve to prevent their decay so that one day we’ll be joyously welcomed into Christ’s open arms at his finish line.

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