Message from the Pastor

“Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21)

In our parable today, Jesus introduces us to three stewards of a wealthy man. The first two, entrusted with his greater wealth, return to him more than they received. The issue is with the one who does not increase the wealth entrusted to him. His punishment is to be “thrown out in the darkness where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.” It seems sort of harsh since the servant was so afraid of his master. But if you think about it, aren’t we all called to use whatever gifts entrusted to us for the glory of God? At our baptism, we are commissioned by those words we heard Jesus speak on Ascension Thursday:

“Go forth to all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to carry out everything I have commanded you.”

This commission of the Faithful is the responsibility of all who claim the name of Jesus. Our Catholic Christian faith challenges us to be preachers to the world. While how we do that preaching will be different, and as varied as there are gifts, we are all called to that preaching. As St. Francis of Assisi tells us, preaching is not always words. So often, our actions reflect our faith in Jesus more deeply.

God has gifted us all in our Time, Talent, and Treasure. We can grow in sharing our gifts or stand still, paralyzed if you will, as was the third steward. We can never allow the gifts of the Holy Spirit to lie dormant; rather, we must cooperate and allow the Holy Spirit to bear fruit in our lives. The fruit that our lives bear is the gift we return to God. As we come to the end of our Liturgical Year, the Church focuses our attention on the end of our days. It is fitting that we take time to reflect on what return we make to God for the blessings in this life. To be that faithful servant, we make a deliberate choice to do what is commanded. To follow Jesus is, of course, not easy, but rather a daily commitment. Remember that for believers, it is not a “once saved, always saved.” It is choosing to grow in the love of God and responding to a love that bears fruit for the world.

What is this parable trying to tell us? I believe it is that, at times, Christian living demands choices that go against the prevailing thinking and ways of acting. Many of the great saints whom we venerate made those choices to bear fruit in their own lives. Even the age of the Martyrs is a wonderful testimony to the many simple persons who made the same choices. The choice for our lives must be based on the secure belief and hope that this life is not the end; there is something much larger and Someone who awaits us. May we all have that faith and hope so that our choices will be choices after the heart of God. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to bear fruit in our lives so we may be worthy to hear the words of today’s Gospel: “Well done, good and faithful servant, come share your Master’s joy.”

On behalf of myself, Fr. Dominik, Fr. Eddy, the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM), the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist, the teachers and staff of the Schools and Religious Education Program, and the entire Parish staff, we wish you and your families a blessed and truly thankful Thanksgiving Day!

In Jesus,
Fr. Bob