Today’s question is a very personal one – one you certainly do not need to answer out loud; but one I would urge you to think about deeply. My question is: What is your passion in life? What really turns you on? No, not “who” but “what.” What do you really enjoy doing?
In most cases, it may be something you do well. But not necessarily. I know several people whose passion is playing golf, but they have yet to break 100, at least consistently. In some cases, you may do it so well you could make a profit at it. But not necessarily. Some people enjoy doing crafts or art work or creative writing; but they will never make a living at it. In some cases, there may be no financial reward at all. In fact it costs them a lot of time and effort. Yet these people are rejuvenated by helping others. They really feel great when they can lend a helping hand or when they can show others how to do things they could not do before.
People who have a passion usually want others to share their passion; to share what brings them pleasure; to share with others their own treasure – for what is a treasure? Is it not anything that brings us pleasure? Did we not just hear in today’s Gospel Reading the words of Jesus: “… for where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.”
Yet there is something strange about a treasure. It is not something that I, myself, can create. Rather, a treasure is something I find or something that is given to me. My greatest treasures come from the greatest gift-giver. My greatest treasures come from God. It is God who gifts me with my faith and my talents.
We heard about faith in the letter Saint Paul wrote to the Hebrews. In his letter, Paul reminded them about the faith of their ancestor, Abraham. Paul reminded them, and he reminds us who hear his words today, that the gift of faith brings us many treasures. Faith calls us forth so that we can journey from old lands, old ways, to new lands and new ways. Faith not only calls us forth, not only initiates our journey but also, faith strengthens us during the journey. Faith helps us to accomplish those things to which we are called.
Not only does faith strengthen us, faith also leads us to pass on to others what we, ourselves, have gained. Faith gives us the power to “generate” others, to help others to grow, to use the gifts that God has given them as well as us.
And finally, faith helps us to persevere, to continue until what we have hoped for has been accomplished.
● Faith allows that golfer to continue to play the course until a hole-in-one is made.
● Faith allows the artist to continue to create until a personal masterpiece is completed.
● Faith allows the helper to continue to assist others until the healing occurs and the one healed can go on to become the healer of the next.
Faith allows us to see our talents, our treasures, and to share them with others. Faith allows us to be stewards who know what the master expects of them, of us, and to pursue our tasks even when the master is not present to force us to do his biding.
Today we have a special opportunity to think about our own passions, our own treasures, our own talents; about the gifts that God has given each one of us and wants us to share with others. Today in our Large Hall, you will see ministry tables. Tables staffed by those who have particular passions they want to share with you. All they ask of each of us is to be open to our own gifts, our own talents and to see how our gifts and talents can be shared with others. For this is what ministry is all about: sharing, in faith, our gifts with one another.
Dr. Lou Harman from our community has been vitally interested in stewardship ministry. He would like to share with us his thoughts. And as we listen to him, perhaps we also need to reflect not only on his words but those we heard Jesus speak at the end of today’s gospel: “Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.”
What gift, what treasure, what passion has been entrusted to you by our Lord and Master, who today invites you to share at the tables you will find in the Large Hall in our Parish Activity Center and to continue the sharing that begins here, at this banquet table he has prepared for us, his stewards.
Nineteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time; August 12, 2001 (Talent Fair Sunday)
Wis 18:6 – 9; Heb 11:1 – 2, 8 – 19; Lk 12:32 – 48