33rd Sunday - Fr. Leo

Listening to our Gospel passage from Matthew, we are reminded that we are all servants of God who is our “master.’  Servants who also have been entrusted with talents with which to serve their master’s plan.

The sad part of today’s parable, is the man with one talent was so afraid of his master that he simply kept it safe, took no risks, and returned it on the masters return.  Fear ran deep in this servant and his fear kept him from producing for the kingdom.  What was his fear?  And, how do we live with this same fear in our own lives?

Perhaps there are two fears.  The first is of God.  This fear, though real in us, comes from our community, not from Jesus who died for us to save us, not to condemn us.  We may need to work on living in awe of God and all creation, not in a fear that keeps the gift of life at bay.

The second fear stems from not believing in ourselves and is related to the first.  Many of the messages from our families, friends and society, may have told us we are not good enough, or that we must always be better.  This keeps us from being faithful to who we are, the one talent we have that no one else possesses.  

The real fear we must all face is being ourselves. Being alone can invite anxiety, but we must be by ourselves and risk loneliness long enough to reach aloneness.  There we will discover our true self, and in that true self, oneness with God.  We may feel disconnected, but when we go deep into the soul we find we are truly connected to all things.

Let us not fear then, who God has made us to be.  Let us have confidence in God’s love and in the Spirit’s power to lead us into the fullness of life.  The inner journey to meaning may not be a pleasure trip of candy, but it will be the meat that feeds our soul.  The health and joy it brings will be a fitness we can run with forever.  

So let us pray, asking the Lord to help us hear the dreams he has place in our souls, and for the strength to live our true self into being.  Come Holy Spirit, enliven our hearts, remove our fears and lead us to live our lives to the full.  Giving back to you the talent you have given us with a bounty fifty, sixty, and a hundred fold!  Amen.

33rd Sunday - Fr. Leo

Listening to our Gospel passage from Matthew, we are reminded that we are all servants of God who is our “master.’  Servants who also have been entrusted with talents with which to serve their master’s plan.

The sad part of today’s parable, is the man with one talent was so afraid of his master that he simply kept it safe, took no risks, and returned it on the masters return.  Fear ran deep in this servant and his fear kept him from producing for the kingdom.  What was his fear?  And, how do we live with this same fear in our own lives?

Perhaps there are two fears.  The first is of God.  This fear, though real in us, comes from our community, not from Jesus who died for us to save us, not to condemn us.  We may need to work on living in awe of God and all creation, not in a fear that keeps the gift of life at bay.

The second fear stems from not believing in ourselves and is related to the first.  Many of the messages from our families, friends and society, may have told us we are not good enough, or that we must always be better.  This keeps us from being faithful to who we are, the one talent we have that no one else possesses.  

The real fear we must all face is being ourselves. Being alone can invite anxiety, but we must be by ourselves and risk loneliness long enough to reach aloneness.  There we will discover our true self, and in that true self, oneness with God.  We may feel disconnected, but when we go deep into the soul we find we are truly connected to all things.

Let us not fear then, who God has made us to be.  Let us have confidence in God’s love and in the Spirit’s power to lead us into the fullness of life.  The inner journey to meaning may not be a pleasure trip of candy, but it will be the meat that feeds our soul.  The health and joy it brings will be a fitness we can run with forever.  

So let us pray, asking the Lord to help us hear the dreams he has place in our souls, and for the strength to live our true self into being.  Come Holy Spirit, enliven our hearts, remove our fears and lead us to live our lives to the full.  Giving back to you the talent you have given us with a bounty fifty, sixty, and a hundred fold!  Amen.