Ever had the experience – I know I met this person somewhere
before but I don’t remember where or when. Then it all clicks, I
remember.
Somewhere in heaven. When they first crossed paths, they didn’t
notice one another. It was only after sitting side by side at the same
dinner table several evenings in a row that they started turning their
heads a second time so as to almost say, “Don’t I know you from
somewhere?” Neither said anything. Then one evening they found
themselves facing one another across the table. Their eyes could not
help but meet and their faces had similar scars.
Finally, one said, “I’ve been noticing you for some time now. You
look so familiar, but I can’t place where we may have met. I thought
maybe it was in prison somewhere, but it wasn’t, because I never forget
a face I knew there.”
“Funny you say that, I had a similar feeling about you, but I can’t
place you. Anyway, my name is Joseph” – and he reached out across
the table to shake hands. When they clasped, they both remembered
immediately. The scars on the hands from the imprint of the nails – they
remembered their crosses!
“Now I remember you,” Joseph said. “We were crucified with that
fellow, Jesus.”
“That’s right,” Samuel piped in. “I’m surprised to see you in
heaven. You said some pretty rotten things to Jesus.”
“I know. I was scared senseless, but didn’t want to let go of my
macho image, so I took it out on Jesus.”
“Well, how did you get in here saying those things?”
“When I heard you admit your crime and ask for Jesus’ help, I
knew that’s really how I felt in my heart, but couldn’t find the words.
Lucky thing for me Jesus paid more attention to my heart than to my lips
that day.”
On this Feast of Christ the King, We are All very lucky people.
That Jesus, our Lord and God, pays more attention to our hearts than to
our lips. Lucky thing!
Archive for November 15th, 2023
Lucky Thing 11-26-2023
Wednesday, November 15th, 2023Skill Set 11-19-2023
Wednesday, November 15th, 2023Today’s Gospel poses two questions that are surprisingly hard for
many of us to answer.
First: What are we good at?
None of us is a total disaster; we aren’t completely devoid of any
skills or (to use the Gospel word) “talents”. We may not be able to
perform brain surgery, but we can comfort a child just stung by a bee.
We may not be able to paint beautiful watercolors, but we can roast a
chicken and bake a pie that brings the family together on Sunday nights.
We may not be a CEO, but when customers leave our checkout line,
they’re a bit happier and lighter in spirit because of the warm way we
treated them.
So never mind the false modesty – answer the question: What are
we good at? What do we do well? What’s the most meaningful
contribution we can make to our family or church or community: the
compassion to encourage and support others? The discipline to manage
people? The patience to listen?
The second question: What are we doing with that talent?
If we can make a living off our talent and skill, terrific – but how
are we contributing the good we possess to make the Kingdom of God a
reality here and now? To keep our “talents” to ourselves is a betrayal of
God’s trust; to act as if we have nothing to contribute is an act of
ingratitude to the God who gave those skills and abilities to us.
So, what has God entrusted to you – and that’s the word: entrusted.
What has God invested in you for the good of the world? We seldom
see the question that way. We’re taught how to monetize whatever
talents and skills we possess, translating our knowledge and abilities into
successful careers. Or we’re overwhelmed with a false sense of
humility: We don’t think our gifts are worth all that much to begin with,
so we keep them to ourselves for our own amusement or diversion. But
today’s parable challenges us to see whatever “talents” we possess – be
they the ability to manage a big organization or the quiet patience to heal
a hurting child – as a sacred trust. And our lives will be judged by how
we used our “talents”, whether earth moving or quietly healing, to
realize God’s Kingdom of mercy and justice in our time and place.
