What do you want out of life? What do we all want? Today’s gospel reading challenges us to think about it. Where does our culture suggest fulfillment can be found: in material stuff, in pleasure, in financial security, in popularity or power.
I must admit there was a time when I bought into all of that. But as the crosses of life and the reality of my limitations have confronted me, I now realize that those answers supply only fleeting happiness and that true fulfillment comes only when we are in all humility one with God. As our first reading from Proverbs reminds us: “charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting, the woman (or man) who fears the Lord is to be praised.”
To fear the Lord is not to cower in the corner in hopes that the God trooper hiding around the bend will not catch us in our sinfulness. To fear the Lord is to acknowledge with awe the gift of life and love and mercy, exampled by the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus. When we fear the Lord in that grateful way, we will use whatever gifts or talents God has given us for the common good and for His glory.
Note in the parable of the talents that the Master when he gave out the talents to the three servants did not place demands upon them. They had the freedom to decide what they would do with them, and so can we with the gifts the Master has given us. We all differ in aptitude and ability. Health, age, and circumstances affect what our options are. But note also that in the parable the man given two talents was not chastised for not producing as much as the one given five. Both were commended for doing what they could. “Well done, my good and faithful servant,’ he said to both.
The problem too often is that we can get so caught up in our routines that we become insensitive to the needs of others or so steeled in our mindsets that we judge others rather than offer a helping hand or friendly fraternal correction. We also can become discouraged or distracted and miss opportunities to use our gifts to the fullest whatever they might be. “A man’s reach must exceed his grasp or what is heaven for?” the poet Robert Browning wrote. “Hell is full of the talented but heaven of the energetic,” Archbishop Fulton Sheen noted.
Dante Rosetti was a 19th century poet ant artist. One day he was approached by an elderly man who asked him to look at some sketches and drawings. As he did Rosetti knew they were not very good. As kindly as he could he told this to the old man. The visitor was disappointed but not surprised. In response he asked would Rosetti look at a few drawings by a young art student. To these Rosetti became enthusiastic. “These are good.” he said. “This young student has talent. He should be given every help and encouragement. He has a great future if he will work hard and stick to it.” The old man was deeply moved. “Who is he?” Rosetti asked, “Your son?” “No”, said the man sadly, “it is me forty years ago. If only I had heard the praise then. For you see, I got discouraged and gave up.” We choose to bury or grow our talents no matter what our age or condition or circumstance in life.
This parable has been told in another form. A village chief had three sons. The oldest had a talent for growing olive trees. The second son was a shepherd who had a talent for treating sheep when sick. The third son was a dancer. Whenever there was a streak of bad luck or when people were down during the long winters he would dance and lift their spirits. One day the chief went on a long journey after encouraging his sons to use their talents well. While he was gone a terrible winter set in. Eventually the first son allowed his olive trees to be cut down for fuel. The second son allowed his sheep to be slaughtered for food. But it was not enough and many died. When the chief returned the village was a shadow if its past. When he learned why he praised his two sons for sacrificing the fruits of their talents in the service of others. The third son said to his father, “it would have been inconsiderate of me to dance during such suffering, and besides I wanted to conserve my strength for your return.” “Then dance my son”, said the father, “for my village is empty and so is my heart. Fill it with joy and courage once again, dance!” But as the third son got up he felt pain and fell. His legs were stiff from sitting and no longer strong enough for dancing. The father said sadly, “Ours was a strong village. It could have survived the want of fuel and food, but it never could survive without hope. Because you failed to use your talent wisely and well, our people gave up what little hope they had left.” With these words he embraced his sons and wept.
We may wonder “what can I do, what talent do I have that can make any difference, what gift has God given me to use?” One answer is the gift of faith, which can be shared. Through our witness of faith both in how we bear the winters of our lives and how we example the strength that comes with a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through His church, we can be signs of hope to one another. This hope can be expressed even in the seeming inconsequential acts of love and caring which are possible for all of us t offer and to receive.
The classmate of a little girl died in a terrible accident. The little girl came home from school later than expected one day. He father scolded her, “where have you been?” She told him that she went over to the house of her now dead friend. “Why did you do that?” “I wanted to console her mother.” “But what could you do” her father scoffed. “Nothing” the little girl responded. “So I just sat on her lap and cried with her”
Each of us has received the gift of love from the Father, the talent of comfort from the Son, and the present of hope from the Holy Spirit. All of these we can offer in His name. When we do, we will learn the answer to the question what do you want out of life. That answer: perspective in this life and then life eternal.
“Since you were faithful in small matters,” said the Master, “come share your Master’s joy.” Eternal life.