New Testament Eucharistic Readings for Sunday of Proper 28: Year A
1 Thessalonians 5:1to11 and Matthew 25:14to30
“But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.” (Matthew 25:18)
Imagine you were witnessing others being given more gifts and more responsibility and therefore, more trust than yourself. It might have been different if you had not witnessed the gifts, responsibility and trust, given to others, but alas, you did witness it. and jealousy prevails.
There are a couple of ways to respond to such an experience. One way is to not go along with such a disregard of your abilities, (albeit abilities you didn’t create for yourself, nor did the others). Jealousy of how others are perceived to be respected more will often make us resentful, and revengeful. Also, it will show that your overseer (God) actually overestimated your loyalty, your faith, in his assessment of what you are capable of. Not hardly, God knows all.
I have been made aware of some kind of trade game wherein people begin with very little and then begin to trade for something better. Some have started with only a paper clip or an empty glass and have (over time) ended up with even a car. The post that I found on the net is called the “Trade Game” and is found at https://www.socialstudiesar.org/blog/tradegame. The class room game begins with the instructor “giving” each student some random item. Of course the class later trades among themselves to achieve greater satisfaction. The point is, each person was given something.
Our Lord has given each of us something, while it may not be to trade, it is something that is needed in our community, in our Church and in our world. It is something to be thankful for. It may not be much, only one little thing, but we are all given something.
Another way is to look at this is to be thankful that you have such a low bar to get over. Do what you can to the best of your abilities. But know this, God knows more about what you are capable of than you do. What you observe may not be the whole story. The others that were given more may have been you in previous years. Always be thankful and do the best you can with what you are given.
Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine, Russia, Israel and our schools.
As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
onewhoponders 