As a teenager, from our living room window, I could see Mt. Rainier on a clear day. I understood why the local Indians named this peak the Mountain of God. At 14000 feet, majestic Mt. Rainier is an awesome challenge for anyone to climb. Many years ago, nine physically handicapped people joined together in climbing the mountain to the summit. One had an artificial leg; five were blind; two were deaf; and one had epilepsy. In spite of all this, together they made the summit and came back without a mishap. When asked how they did this, one of the blind men said, “We got a lot of help from each other.”
I would also say that they trusted each other while making this not so easy climb. Trust is a word we hear often but do we ever consider its meaning? What is the opposite of trust? Most anyone I asked would say distrust.
According to a European theologian, Wolfhart Pannenberg, the direct opposite of trust is actually security. If trust means that I am willing to place at least a portion of my life in some one else’s care, then its opposite must be the desire to take care of everything by myself. The opposite of trust then is to be totally self-sufficient.
Being self-sufficient is a goal that many people set for themselves but that is not what I hear Jesus endorsing in this parable. We have just heard about three servants who were handed talents according to their ability. Instead of being self-sufficient, the master trusted his servants to handle his assets well in his absence.
At a glance, this parable is confusing. As usual, Jesus used outlandish images to make his point. This parable is meant to jolt us into a deeper awareness of what God expects of us. A talent was equivalent to 16 years’ wages. Jesus didn’t live in a capitalist society that relied on investments, so I doubt this was a lesson on financial investments. What then was his point?
Jesus was the man going on a journey. He knew that his time was drawing to a close and that he would be leaving his disciples behind. But someday, he would return and when he does, he will judge his servants, which includes you and me, on how well we used our talents to spread the Good News and bring about his kingdom.
Most of us know there is a risk involved whenever we invest money and the same can be said for investing in “the spiritual stock market.” Anytime I take the readings at hand and prepare a homily, I am taking a risk. I may alienate someone with the message of my homily and the readings. At the same time, I hope that what I say will draw you, the listener, to an even closer relationship with God.
Jesus expects all of us to take a risk in using our talents and resources to share the Good News and bring about his kingdom. Every one of us from childhood to our golden years has a part in the building of God’s kingdom. Our part is likely to evolve as time passes, but he is counting on us to do our part in sharing the Good News by what we say and do. We all have talents that God hopes we will put to good use.
As with the servant who buried his talent, fear is what stops some people from doing their part in sharing the Good News. Fear paralyzed that servant, prompting him to play it safe but in the end he gets the stinging rebuke, “You wicked, lazy servant!” Might Jesus say that to us? I hope not.
Jesus has put his trust in us, providing us with talents to further the kingdom of God on earth. He wants us to make good use of what we have been given so that his kingdom of peace and justice may prosper. He takes pleasure in what we accomplish but for the complacent and fearful, the parable comes with a warning. “Throw this useless servant into the darkness outside.”
There is no reason to be afraid. Imagine Jesus saying to you, “Make use of your talents, don’t bury them. Enrich yourself, your community, your church, and the kingdom of God with loving concern for the welfare of others. Your lasting security comes from trusting God. Do this and you won’t have to worry about your future encounter with me at your last judgment.”
Life is God’s gift to you. What you do with life is your gift to God. God has endowed each of us in different ways and in different degrees. God has gifted every one of us. It is not what you have that is important; it is what you do with what you have. As one coach used to say to his team, “Do not let what you can’t do interfere with what you can do.”
In the midst of this pandemic that continues to impact the health and fiscal well being of so many, let us pray that we use our talents generously to build the kingdom. Like those who climbed the mountain of God, we all have limitations but trusting in one another and working together as a team, we can make the Kingdom of God more visible to others by what we say and do.
On Facebook this morning I found this quote from Archbishop Desmond Tutu, “Do your little bit of good where you are. It’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.”