Are You Investing in Your Faith?

A reflection for the 33^rd Sunday, Ordinary Time, Year A. The readings are Proverbs 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31; Psalm 128; Thessalonians 5:1-6 and Matthew 25:14-30.

If Jesus was here teaching this lesson today, I think he could use these three examples:

There was a soldier who, went to war as a captain but was demoted and returned as a private. Afterwards tried starting a few businesses, which failed; went bankrupt twice, decided to run for president and was defeated 26 times before being elected into public office. That was Abraham Lincoln.  Well done, good and faithful servant!

This woman, was nearly penniless, depressed, divorced and raising a child as a single mother while attending school and trying to write a novel. When she finally finished the novel, it was rejected by 12 publishers before one of them decided to give her a chance. That was JK Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series. Well done good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in small matters!

No one would hire this man as an animator; he was fired from a journalism job because they said he wasn’t creative enough – he started his own company and it went bankrupt.  At one point his producer stole a character he had created. He then created a cartoon character that was rejected 300 times – he was told that this character would scare women. That character was Mickey Mouse and the animator was Walt Disney. Well done good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in small matters; I will give you more responsibilities; Come and share your master’s joy!

These three people have a few things in common: They were not afraid of taking risks; they not afraid of failure; they didn’t let failure deter them from their goals – and they certainly didn’t sit around waiting for something to happen.

This is what I think today’s parable is about.

I don’t think this parable is about talents – you know, using our gifts. When I think about this parable, I think about taking risks – living life to the full; knowing your goals and taking the bull by the horns. This is what the first servant does: he goes immediately and starts trading and is able to double his money. He clearly is not afraid of making mistakes and also clearly knows what he’s doing.  I am not sure what the second servant did or how quickly, but he also doubles his money.  But the third servant is too scared to do anything. He doesn’t know what to do. He just takes the money and buries it. When the master comes back, he is mad! But he’s not mad because the servant was not able to double his money. He’s mad because the servant didn’t do anything. He didn’t even put the money in the bank!

The good news is that Jesus is not talking about money – he’s not starting a new Christian investment company. Jesus is not talking about gifts and talents – or even about getting things done (that’s a whole other conversation). Jesus is talking about our Faith. We have all received Faith to one degree or another, but what have we done with it? Have we invested in it? Have we shared it? Or have we buried it out in a field somewhere?

Jesus tells us some parables that show us that we rely on God for our salvation – like the parable of the farmer that sows the seed and then he goes to bed and he knows not how, but the seed grows.  But he also tells us parables, like today’s (and last week’s about the 10 Bridesmaids who had to bring their own oil), that show us that there are things that we also need to do. And this is what the Catholic Church teaches.  The Church teaches about the Primacy of Grace: We need God’s Grace for salvation. But we also have to cooperate with God’s Grace. And so, yes, we have received our faith, each according to our needs and abilities, but that’s not enough. We have to then go out and put it to use; invest in it; nourish it; nurture it; share it… so that it will grow.

How often do we fall in that endless cycle of routine… of just living life, going through the motions – getting up in the morning, going to work, coming home, making dinner, watching Netflix or spending the rest of the time in some mindless activity like social media…. because, like the third servant, we are afraid to take risks? We are afraid of failure or we are too numb or oblivious, or because we just don’t know what to do? Or we are too comfortable with what we have? That’s what St. Paul tells the Thessalonians in the second reading: Stay awake; don’t fall asleep. Don’t go through life as if you were asleep!

The main difference between those three people I mentioned at the beginning (and so many others, just do a web search for people who were not afraid of taking risks or failure), Abraham Lincoln, JK Rowling and Walt Disney and many of us, is that they had dreams and they had a passion for what they wanted. They didn’t give up because what they wanted was important to them.

But for us, when it comes to our Faith – or worst, getting to Heaven… is not that important. It’s just not on our radar. Listen: Getting to heaven is the most important thing that will happen to you. And doing everything you can to get to Heaven is the most important thing you will ever do. There’s really no other option! (well, there is, but it’s not a very good option!)

You have been given everything you need to get to Heaven – if not, you have been given access to everything you need to get to Heaven. If your faith today is the same faith you had when you made your first Communion when you were seven years old, then, what have you been doing? It’s time that you go get a shovel and go back out into the field and dig it up and start investing in it.

In two weeks we begin the Season of Advent – what a great time to start investing in your Faith. I’m going to give you some easy suggestions (small matters) that don’t involve any risk. Are you only going to Mass every Sunday? Can you go to Mass a couple more times a week? Can you stop at the Church on your way home from work? Can you spend some time in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament?  Are you praying at least 5-10 minutes every day? Are you reading one verse of Scripture every day? If you can’t go to daily Mass, can you look at and pray with the daily readings? Do you like reading, do some spiritual reading? Read a book that will nourish your spiritual life. Do you listen to Catholic radio or watch Catholic TV? Do you listen to Catholic podcasts – listen to the Bible in a Year or the Catechism in a Year podcast. Join a prayer group – start your own prayer group. Join the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic Women’s League or the St. Vincent de Paul Society.  Join a ministry at Church – become a lector or join a music group or become a Eucharistic Minister. Go and speak with your Pastor and see what other opportunities there are to help. Maybe you can start something new. Volunteer at the local food bank or soup kitchen. Organize a local food drive for Christmas at your school. Make a point this Advent to get an Advent Wreathe and light your Advent candles every night – and say a little prayer while you do.

There is so much we could be doing to invest in our Faith.

Pope Francis is always telling us to get up off the couch.  To stop watching life go by from up on the balcony – to get down on the street! Now is the time. What are you going to do to invest in your faith? Start now and you’ll see that in no time, your faith will have doubled, tripled, quadrupled and you will have helped not just yourself, but so many others along the way. Then you will hear the Master’s voice saying to you: “Well done, good and faithful servant! Come and share in the Master’s joy!”

If Jesus was here teaching this lesson today, I think he could use these three examples:

There was a captain who, went to war but was demoted and returned home as a mere private. Afterwards, he tried starting a few businesses, which all failed; he went bankrupt twice; tried running for office and was defeated 26 times before being elected into public office. (Abraham Lincoln)  Well done, good and faithful servant!

This woman was completely broke, depressed, divorced and raising a child as a single mother while attending school and trying to write a novel. When she finally finished the novel, it was rejected by 12 publishers before one of them decided to give her a chance. (JK Rowling) Well done good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in small matters!

No one would hire this man as an animator; he was fired from a journalism job because they said he wasn’t creative enough – he started his own company and it went bankrupt.  At one point his producer stole a character he had created. He then created a cartoon character that was rejected 300 times – he was told that this character would scare women. (Walt Disney) Well done good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in small matters; I will give you more responsibilities; Come and share your master’s joy!