(HOMILY FOR SATURDAY OF THE 21ST WEEK IN THE ORDINARY TIME (ST MONICA)

Homily for Saturday of the 21st week in the ordinary time (Memorial of St. Monica)

1corinthinas 1:26-31; Matthew 25:14-30

Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ, the parable of the talents which we have just heard, is a parable that focuses on the judicious, faithful and responsible services we are called to render to God and humanity through the use of the  talents and gifts entrusted to us, and the faculties we are endowed with . It is a parable that instructs us that diligence is rewarded whereas negligence is punished or penalized.

We are told of a man going on a journey, summoned his  servants and entrusted his property to them; to one he gave five talents , to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability” (Mt 25: 14-15). While the one with five talents traded and made five talents more, the one with two traded and made two talents more, the one with one talent rather dug a ground and buried the talent. Hence, with the master's return and the day of reckoning came, the one with the one talent unlike the others could not demonstrate an increase in talent. While the other servants were rewards by the master, the one with the one talent was serverly punished. 

Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ, just like the property owner, God trusts and believes in us so much so that he saddles us with the responsibility to freely administer in the best possible way his resources, using our initiatives, gifts, faculties, and talents e.g education, health, skills, energy, profession, position, time, money, influence etc. God believes in us and respects our freedom and initiative. He expects us to act responsibly and diligently. Beloved in Christ, to whom much is given, much is expected of him. We are told that the man with the one talent rather than invest the one talent, just like the servants with the five and two talents respectively, chose to dig the ground and bury it. Thus, the one talent remained only but a single talent at the end of the day. Friends in Christ, this man ordinarily is no respecter of the law of economics. How can he subject money, which is not a seed to the law of nature and expect to have the result of the law of economics? He is either wicked, ignorant or lazy. This man is a representative of those who have subjected their gifts and talents to a state of comatose, dormancy and passivity. They are non-productive in Christian life, they have no good works and charity in them. Their gifts and talents are in a  state of negligence, they make no contribution to the growth of the kingdom of God despite the gifts and talents with which God had blessed them. However, the servants with the five and two talents are representatives of those who make use of the full gifts God has given them to grow the kingdom of God here on earth. They are diligent and responsible in the use of their gifts and talents, they are productive and active with good works and cahrity. To them the reward of faithful service is to share the Master's joy. Well done good and faithful servant, you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; come enter into the joy of your master” (Mt 25:21).

Today, we celebrate the memorial of St. Monica, an examplary figure, who used her talents and gifts for the edification of Augustine and her husband. Through her virtuous life, perseverance and prayer life, St. Monica brought about transformation to the wayward life of Augustine and converted the husband to Christianity a year before his death. We pray for all mothers that through the intercession of St. Monica they may remain faithful to their vocations.

In the first reading, St. Paul speaking to the Corinthians emphatically acknowledged that the wisdom of God is beyond human wisdom. To shame human wisdom, God chose what was weak by human reckoning, those whom the world designates as common and contemptible, those who are considered nothing by human judgement. Hence, the human race can not boast of anything of itself. The Human Person cannot pride himself upon any achievement outside of God.  St. Paul, consequently instructs that to be able to assimilate the wisdom of God, we must be in communion with Jesus. Jesus is our wisdom, our virtue, our holiness and our freedom. Only in Jesus, through Jesus and with Jesus can the human person boast of any achievement. For outside of Jesus, the human wisdom and capacity cannot inspire achievement. 

Dearest brothers and sisters in Christ, we pray in this eucharistic celebration, that the wisdom of God may enlighten our hearts and minds to remain constantly in communion with God through Jesus Christ the mediator of our salvation.

May God bless his words in our hearts now and always. Amen

Have a nice day!

Fr Remi Osj