27/08/2022

This morning's Gospel is not an easy one especially coupled with the continuation of St Paul's letter to the Corinthians. St Paul tells us that the chosen ones of God are not the intellectuals and the leaders of his day but the simple people and slaves who do all the manual work that supports the marble palaces, temples and theatres of the Greek world.

Jesus' parable praises the active trading done by the first two servants and utterly condemns the third who still had the one but had not increased its value. He is condemned to what seems like Hell, a place with no joy but only pain and suffering. This does not seem like the Jesus of the beatitudes. The gifts that the man gave were in proportion to the abilities of the servants. 

To make sense of this parable it could be possible to view the gifts in reverse order. St Paul tells the Corinthians that God has chosen the unwise and untalented to build up the Church. These are  those who receive 5 and 2 talents. It is the rich and successful who are satisfied by their place in this life who receive only one gift from God and put it to oneside as they go through life satisfied that at the end they will be able to draw out the Faith that they have done nothing to increase.

If I do  nothing to grow in the grace distributed to all of us by Father, Son and Holy Spirit and for this failure blame God ,"I sin because you the All-Powerful made me this way" there is no reason for me to think that by fishing out a remembered belief from the back of mind I will be able to become acceptable and fit for eternity.

Dear Lord help me to grow throughout this day and let my will align itself to yours. This morning's parable has exercised my mind and even though my understanding is probably wrong you know that I have tried my best to find a positive interpretation as giving more to those who already have seems to be an injustice. May Mary and all the saints continue to keep us in their prayers to support the sick and needy and to cheer me up as I have started today quite bemused by the Gospel,. May St Monica's prayers still be heard for all parents who want their children to follow the road of righteousness.