Account Balances (2014-11-16)

33^rd Sunday, 16 November 2014

[__01]   In this parable, we read about three servants.  Each servant received a different deposit into his or her account.

The deposit amount is denominated not in dollars but in talents.

In the parable, our Savior was using the word ‘talent’ in an ancient context in which ‘talent’ was a unit of measure for gold or other precious metals.

Therefore,   more talent equals more gold = more money equals greater wealth.

Perhaps, those with more talents would also be also preferred customers at Chase, Bank of America, or Wells Fargo.

 [__02] Certainly, the differences in account balances indicated variation in the material advantage for all three servants.

Each one has a different amount. However, we might remember that we before they were invited into the office of Executive Master or Portfolio Manager, none of them had been a 

preferred customer, none of them had any money. They were all at a zero balance.

But, then, each receives some amount.

Then, we are told, each has the opportunity to trade with – to go out into the world, to the open market – with what they received.

This destination for you and me could be to…

·        Neighbors

·        Family

·        West Orange High School

·        College classroom

·        School cafeteria

We also go forward with gifts given to us by God, to spend ….

And, what they were trading or spending…and what we are trading or spending …is not our own money, our own currency, but the assets of our Lord and Master, the assets of his portfolio.

How do you feel …how do I feel about purchases – or investments -- made with money belonging to someone else?

[__03]  The Good News of this parable is that the Lord has placed gifts in our account, assets in our account. For our use.

Money – or asset value – was used in the parable to signify God’s gifts.  While these cannot be invested in stocks, bonds, and real estate, they can still be invested. They still have value. And, our balance increases when we meet with him, turn to him in prayer.

However, money in the bank may not necessarily help us … if, say, inflation were to skyrocket. Also, don’t we often have to spend money in order to make more money or protect ourselves against catastrophe.  We spend money to educate ourselves, to buy insurance… if we just left all these dollars in the bank, we might actually be impoverished.

So, having money is not enough… we are called to be wise as serpents in our asset allocations and purchases.  The Lord also calls us to be wise in using his gifts which are in our account.

 [__04]   The parable also invites to disclose and use our talents, so that they would grow.

The parable reminds us that the fruits – or gifts – of the Holy Spirit can grow in value… in particular by practicing them.

In fact, doesn’t St. Paul also suggest – in Galatians chapter 5 – that these gifts are a safer investment than actual money…. Money can be taken by taxation, by legal action, by the law…

But, St. Paul says that God himself – not a bank and not the government -- gives and protects these gifts …. “against [them] …there is no law” (cf. Galatians 5:22-23)

The gifts increase in value through their use and practice.

Here, I would like to touch on three of them – PATIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS..

[__05]   [__05.01]  

PATIENCE.  Regarding the servants in the parable, we are told that they were faithful in small things.

And, isn’t this the invitation to you and me, to patient, trusting, forbearing in small matters, in everyday matters?

We are called to exercise patience on the phone and in person.  To “spend” some of our 

patience on every single person. We may need more some people than others.

To exercise patience in school – in the relationship between teacher and student, between teacher and colleagues… between an employee and his/her superior.

St. Paul invites the servant to be patient with the master…and vice versa.

Many of us would lament – and I would also lament – that we are not sufficiently patient.

This could be true, but consider the patience that you and I are capable of exercising when we anticipate a good result or a fortunate outcome. This patience tends to be deleted quickly when the outcome is unpleasant.

The Lord is asking us to trust him so that our patience – as an asset – might grow.  We exercise patience in small matters so that we would have patience in greater matters.

[__05.02]    KINDNESS.  Would it not be a joy to exchange courtesy, politeness, kindness?

That is, for every courtesy, I receive back an equal or greater amount in the transaction.

On the curve and time line of value, the portfolio value is either flat or rising. That’s a good deal.

It is, however, quite challenging to be kind and merciful under circumstances when our kindness is not reciprocated.

None of us wants to be rejected.

Nevertheless, the message of the parable is that the value of our kindness does not diminish because there is no “matching gift” by some other person or corporation.

God underwrites the gift. The risk is worth taking.

[__05.03]    GOODNESS. 

In the parable all three of the servants believe they are doing good, that they are practicing virtue and goodness.

That is we are called not only to be generous and charitable but also to do so without hoping to get something back.

We are called rather to give something back of ourselves to God.

We are spending his “talents” which he has poured into our hearts. We are spending his money which he has deposited into our account.

After all, it is better to give than to receive. We share the Master’s joy by giving these things away.    [__fin]