The liturgy of the thirty-third Sunday in ordinary time is based on the following readings: Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31; Psalm 128; 1 Thessalonians 5:1-6; Matthew 25:14-30. The main theme of our readings is on the unknown but very certain date of the definitive second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the Gospel, Jesus uses an imaginary picture common in our homes: Imagine a thief coming into your home in the dark night! It makes a big difference if that thief meets you prepared. Jesus likens our last moment to such a scenario! The day of the Lord, is likened to such a fearful event of a ‘thief in the night’.  The objective of this Sunday’s liturgy is not to threaten us. It rather puts the stress on the importance of our life and work here on earth, our carefulness and our diligence so that the awaited moment finds us prepared.

The book of Proverbs praises correctly ‘the woman who fears the Lord’ (Prov.31:30). But beyond this character, the reading turns to us all, who should live in expectation of the Lord.  We have a lesson to learn from the industriousness and diligence of the good wife who is busy with useful matters, skilled at her work and cares for the poor. Psalm 128 follows the same logic above to tell us how blessed is the person who ‘walks in the ways of the Lord.(Ps. 128: 1).

In the Gospel, Jesus uses the parable of talents to give us a clear understanding of our mission here on earth. It is the responsibility of each one of us to work and to multiply the talents entrusted to all of us. We must improve on the gifts we have been given by God because he expects some accountability on the investments that he has made in us. While most of our African proverbs would consider wise what the servant given one talent did by preserving the only talent given to him; avoiding any possible risk, the Gospel teaching takes this for disobedience and laziness. We are warned against such vices as disobedience and laziness in our life. In this parable, it is very interesting to note that its application is within an eschatological setting, but the lesson that Jesus gives us is ‘down to earth’. As we go about our daily business, we must at the same time think of different initiatives and creativity, for our personal involvement in answering the call from God. This is much more imperative than anythin
g else! The lesson is clear: The servants who are appreciated are those who assume their responsibility and put their minds and hearts into creative ways of multiplying their gifts.  In simple words, they are those who receive the Word of God, live it and communicate it in both words and actions, in such a way that God is happy with them. And the servant who is judged negatively is the one who holds onto what he has got in a lazy and wicked way.  Here we have a standard to choose; by which we shall be appreciated by God or rejected by Him.

In his letter to the Thessalonians, St Paul describes the day of the Lord in words that are common to our African setting: He says that the day will strike like a sudden disaster on people’s lives. We can think of the many deadly disasters which have struck our people finding us unprepared to cope with them! It is such a terrible experience of helplessness. Here St Paul is warning us that we must always be prepared, alert and sober: ‘let us not sleep as the rest do’ (Thes. 5:6). So that the feared moment finds us prepared.

The doctrinal message of this liturgy is found in the Gospel: As Christians, we are invited to multiply what we have received; we must use all our ingenuity, our experience, in order to make our own salvation a reality in our lives, as well as the salvation of others.

From a pastoral point of view, this liturgy points at the reality that we live in our post modern period where man seems to have so many priorities to the extent of being indifferent or undervaluing our salvation and that of others. As Christians we must endeavour to make the Kingdom of God present in our midst and effective in our daily lives. It is our charge and challenge to make this happen by using any legitimate ways and means at our disposal. Failure to do this is tantamount to keeping our talent hidden and unproductive.  And that is the point: How are you using the talents that you have been given in order to build the kingdom of God? The answer to such a question is so crucial that each individual should give his or her personal answer. And by that we are giving our accountability to our Creator in advance.

Ends