We hear in the readings this Sunday the exhortation to be diligent in performing good works.
All of this should be animated by the gift of the fear of the Lord with the awareness that our judgment is coming.
We see in the first reading this famous proverb of the industrious wife, the good woman who is diligent in doing good works.
And it brings forth two of the deceptions which the world places in high honor.
It says, charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting.
And aren't these two things held in such high esteem in our world?
Charm. We think of all of the great personalities out there and the people who are honored and loved simply because they have a charming personality.
Oprah Winfrey comes to mind because notwithstanding many of the ridiculous things that she says,
especially concerning God and religion, she could be the most popular woman on the earth.
And as the scripture says, charm is deceptive.
And beauty is fleeting. How our world exalts the beauty, corporal beauty.
Think of all the models we see in advertisements, on the cover of magazines, the big desire for diets and fitness.
We tend to glorify corporal beauty.
But again, as the scripture says, beauty is fleeting.
That is, we must all grow old.
And so, the wise man says, but the woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
It is the woman in whom we find the gift of the fear of the Lord active, present and active.
The gift of the Holy Spirit.
We see in the Responsorial Psalm, it takes up again this theme of the fear of the Lord.
Blessed are those who fear the Lord.
The gift of the fear of the Lord, given by the Holy Spirit, makes all of us aware of the immensity of God,
of his greatness, of his presence, everywhere, in all times, in all places.
Amen.
Watching over us.
And with this knowledge, it helps us to be cautious not to fall into sin,
to avoid the occasions of sin, and to be diligent in performing good works.
And all of this because we know judgment is coming.
As St. Paul affirms in the second reading,
that we don't know the day or the hour, that it will come like a thief in the night,
but we ought to be those who are awake and alert and not asleep.
Now that awake and alert means we ought to be busy doing good works,
diligent in performing our daily duties,
always thinking of how we can give greater glory to God to fulfill his will day after day.
Now our Lord in the Gospel ties all of these things together in the parable.
He says that a man went on a journey and called in his servants
and entrusted his possessions to them.
Now the doctors and fathers of the church interpret this as our Lord when he ascended into heaven.
When he ascended, he left his possessions to them.
That is, he entrusted to his apostles and to all of his followers various gifts of grace.
And he's given them in different measures.
To each and every one of us.
To one man he gave five, to another two, and to a third one,
each according to his ability.
It is, our Lord bestows his gifts and graces as he wills in various degrees.
To one five, to another two, and to another one.
And you see, it isn't really important the gifts that we have received,
nor the amount of good that we do.
Because we see that both of the servants who received five and to receive two,
they both receive the same praise from our Lord.
The one brings back more, five.
The other brings back less, two.
And yet our Lord says to both,
Well done, my good and faithful servants.
Enter into the joy of your Lord.
See, our Lord isn't concerned with how much we do for him.
But he's concerned that we use everything that he has given to us.
Whether it be the five, or whether it be the two.
That we give the totality of our being and all of the gifts,
and employ it for his service.
To give God the maximum glory possible.
Now there is the third servant who was given one.
He is called wicked.
And lazy.
That is, our Lord calls him wicked.
That is, he had bad will.
Wasn't interested in giving God glory.
Wasn't interested in using the gifts given him by God,
even though it was only one,
for giving it back to God in his service.
He is called lazy.
He didn't want to put forth the effort that it takes.
To use the gift that God had given him.
To give glory to God.
Reminds me of a penitent who went to Padre Pio one time.
And he was confessing certain sins.
And he was a bit lukewarm and lazy in performing his duties.
And Padre Pio simply said to him,
Heaven is not for the indolent.
Heaven is not for the indolent.
That is, heaven is not for those who are lazy.
Those who will not strive for Christian perfection.
Remember our Lord said,
You must therefore be perfect,
even as your heavenly Father is perfect.
This is the obligation that we all have to strive for sanctity.
To use all of the gifts that God has given us for his glory.
Whether they be great,
or whether they be sinful,
or whether they be small.
And so these are the things we want to call to mind today.
The fear of the Lord.
That our Lord is great and almighty.
And always present and watching us.
That the day of judgment is coming,
and we don't know when.
And as a result,
we should be busy doing the works of the Lord.
And striving to give him the greatest glory possible.
And to achieve the greatest possible degree of sanctity.
And the hope that we have of sitters will continue to lift up,
and smile in your eyes,
and to protect this lost people.
In Jesus.
The Vallelos are the sun and the sea.
They shine through the ashes and the waters.
Now her children loved and worshipped the name.
The name of the father and of the son on his icon,
in the holy spirit.
Et es tuum benedictum, fructum ventris tuum.