CALLED TO ACCOUNT FOR OUR ACTIONS

XXXIII SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME: Matthew 25:14-30

Look at life from different angles

The Scriptures and specially the Gospels help us (or even force us) to look at life from very different angles. Life is too complex to be described or defined in one sentence, and even less in one word. What we see depends on where we are standing, and it depends as well on our aspirations and desires or our concerns and sufferings. That’s why we may find world views that seem to be opposite or even to mutually exclude themselves.

The importance of faith for our salvation

The Holy Scriptures make it clear that we are saved by faith, meaning that we have no claims or rights over God. The life that we live is a gift that must be cherished with thanksgiving. And salvation as well is a gift bestowed on us by God’s mercy, which we must welcome and accept with confidence and total surrender to God. This may give us the idea that nothing else matters, but faith and that, if we believe with all our hearts, we are saved. However, other passages speak about attitudes, deeds and behaviour, which are essential to enter the Kingdom of God, telling us that we will be judged by our actions here on earth.

Called to account for what we did with what we were given

The parable of the talents, which is read in this Sunday’s liturgy brings it forth very plainly that we will be called to account for what we have done with what we were given. Each one of us has received a special gift that makes him special and different. And we can find different people with different abilities living in different situations that call for different actions. This difference of gifts and people brings about a great variety and richness, which always fills us with surprise. Indeed, our God is a God full of surprises, or as they say in Bemba, Shimwelenganya, that is a God full of imagination.

Initiative and creativity

We may find people who are jealous of the gifts received by others, instead of being thankful for their own gifts.  The parable of the talents makes it clear that we receive different gifts according to our different abilities. And God will not consider what we received, but the use we made of what we received. Initiative and creativity play an important role in what we may achieve, and each one on his own must do his best to excel. God looks at the effort and the struggle, not at the final result. There is a saying in Bemba that says: the trees fall to where they are bent. It is the sense of purpose and direction that is important. In the parable, the ones who worked hard and produced according to their ability were rewarded handsomely, while the lazy one was punished. We must add value to what we found or was given to us. If we only use and misuse what others left for us, we are good for nothing, and God will reject us, because we rejected ourselves.

The parable of the talents speaks about reward and punishment; and we will receive one or the other according to our actions.