Word to the Wise
Sunday, November 16, 2014 - 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time - A
[Prov 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31; 1 Thess 5:1-6; Matt 25:14-30 or 25:14-15, 19-21 ,35]"Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilites. Come, share your master's joy!" [Matthew]
The continual drumbeat of the media on our nation's and the world's economic health increases in intensity as we draw near the holiday season. More than one preacher has given an economic or capitalistic interpretation to the parable in today's gospel! However, Jesus is not referring to economic systems. He is referring to the indefinite time before his return and the attitude a disciple should have in dealing with that time. In short, the real enemy is fear.
The characters in the story who might appear laudable to us would not have been laudable to Jesus' audience. The master was a hard man and the two slaves who increased the money probably loaned it out at usurious rates! The good person would have been the one who protected the money. But the greedy slaves had one thing going for them. They were not afraid and used their cleverness and resources wisely!
As the liturgical year draws to a close, the emphasis in the gospel scriptures is on last things and the question of the second coming of Christ. The parables in the gospels draw our attention to what discipleship means in the interim between Jesus' death and his return in glory. In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus continually exhorts the disciples not to be afraid. [8:26] When Peter tries to walk on water at Jesus' invitation, he only begins to sink when he becomes afraid. [14:22-33]. What are our fears about living the gospel and discipleship in a time of uncertainty, especially if the uncertainty is economic? Can we live wisely instead of greedily? We all want to hear those words: "Well done, my good and faithful servant...Come, share your master's joy." To do that, we may have to pay closer attention to the other words, "Be not afraid!" AMEN
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