HOMILY FOR THE THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A.
HOMILY THEME: DO NOT BE AFRAID OF USING YOUR GIFTS
BY: Fr. Joseph Nyarko Asare
HOMILY:
Pv 31:10-13,19-20,30-31
Ps 128
1Thess 5:1-6
Mat 25:14-30
The least of God’s gifts is more valuable than the Old Testament’s value of a precious wife. Human life, undoubtedly, is beyond quantitative value; it is so precious that it had to be redeemed with the precious blood of the only begotten son of God. But the Old Testament compares a good wife to a precious jewel. Precious jewel, indeed, for it takes effort time and, possibly, a rare opportunity to acquire such a great treasure.
But far beyond a good wife is the least of God’s gifts to us. In the Gospel, we discover that the servant with the least ability is given one talent. A talent at Jesus’ time was the largest unit of currency. Scholars fix it at 20 years wages of a common worker. Using the Gh₡6 (about US$2) minimum wage of Ghana, a talent will value at Gh₡40320 (forty thousand, three hundred and twenty Ghana cedis), an equivalent of four- hundred and three million, two hundred thousand old cedis (₡403,200,000). Such is the value of the least of God’s gifts.
We have not been given the least. We have been given uncountable gifts and graces through our natural endowments and the workings of the grace of God. As if these are not enough, we have been given the gift of gifts, the immeasurable and unquantifiable saviour. Jesus has been given us as a priceless, undeserving gift. He is beyond any quantity of talents. We just cannot be idle Christians. The possession of Jesus alone calls us to a live of holiness and witnessing. Jesus is not meant to be hidden or covered. He must be exposed and shared with all. Interestingly, God grants us the energy, wisdom and ability to share his son with humanity.
But how long will we posses what we have been given and what do we have to use them for? The answer is offered in the second reading. The second coming of Christ will dispossess us of all that we have been granted now. We will do a handing over and receive either rewards of good stewardship or condemnation for wasting precious gifts. This coming is unpredictable and a big mystery to humankind. We must, therefore, not plan to start tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, etc. We must start working now.
The joy of the Christian life is that we risk nothing once we are in activity for the Lord. We are sure of success and fruitfulness anytime we begin to seriously concentrate on the master’s business. We will never run at a loss. It has never happened anywhere that someone sincerely worked for God and missed the best of all rewards, namely, an unending life with God in eternity. Do not fear to use what you have in service. It is time to begin a serious sharing of Jesus and his gifts with humanity. May God grant you the strength to start the journey now and not tomorrow.
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