The Gospel the Church gives us for today, the 33rd Sunday through the Church Year is a challenging one for us: it forces us to know what our personal mission is, and to discern the mission according to God’s plan. Mission, talent, personal dignity all require a degree of humility but also a holy boldness to know the gift God has given and then take that gift and be light for the world, salt for the earth…all given to build up the body of Christ, the Church.
St. John Chrysostom teaches: “Let us therefore, knowing these things, contribute whatever we have – wealth, diligence or caregiving – for our neighbor’s advantage. For the talents here are each person’s abilities, whether in the way of protection, or in money, or in teaching or in whatever thing you have been given. Let no one say ‘I have but one talent and can do nothing with it.’ You are not poorer than the widow. You are not more uninstructed than Peter and John, who were both ‘unlearned and ignorant men’. Nevertheless, since they demonstrated zeal and did all things for the common good, they were received into heaven. For nothing is so pleasing to God as to live for the common advantage.”