Utilising the spiritual gifts we have been given
Thirty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)
The parable of the Talents is well known to us. Its immediate message is obvious – if we are given talents then we should use them and not waste them.
It is natural for us to recognise various talents we may have. We are drawn naturally to want to express and develop them. The talents each of us possess are many and varied.
It is natural for us to enjoy using our talents especially when they are for the good of others.
Parents will identify the particular interests and talents of their children and ensure that they are able to be developed. This brings a sense of achievement and satisfaction to children, and advances their potential contribution to life.
At the natural level the parable makes clear and obvious sense.
However, the Lord commences the parable with the words, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like ….”. With these words the Lord wants us to consider the use of talents in the spiritual arena.
How we do this may be a little more difficult. While it is relatively easy to identify our physical talents and how they can contribute to human society, we are being asked here to identify those talents which can contribute to the spiritual sphere.
One person who developed an awareness of the use of talents in the spiritual sphere was St Paul. On a number of occasions he provides a list of various gifts that can be used for the upbuilding of the Christian community.
In this letter to the Corinthians he provides a list of specifically spiritual gifts which are a product of living under the influence of the Holy Spirit.
It is evident that these were gifts that he witnessed at work among the Christians in Corinth.
Thus, he identifies spiritual gifts, charismata, that individuals may possess. In I Cor 12:8-10 he lists them as preaching with wisdom, preaching instruction, faith, healing, power of miracles, prophesy, recognising spirits, tongues and interpretation of tongues. These are often referred to as the charismatic gifts. While some may appear esoteric St Paul identified them as works of the Holy Spirit in the Corinthian community.
In his letter to the Romans (12:6-8) the list he provides speaks more of gifts being exercised for the benefit of the community. He lists them as prophesy, administration, teaching, preaching, almsgiving, leadership and works of mercy.
In the letter to the Ephesians (4:11) he speaks more of roles exercised within the community- apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor and teacher.
St Paul was very aware of a multiplicity of gifts that were given to individuals. He taught that these gifts should not be seen simply as personal blessings, but are to be seen as being at the service of the Christian community.
To highlight this he used the image of the Christian community as being like a human body. In the human body there are many different organs and parts. All have their own unique role to play to enable the body to function.
So, St Paul argues, there are many different gifts given to individual Christians that can serve the effective functioning of the Christian community.
This can cause us to ponder how we are meant to contribute to the life and mission of the Christian community to which we belong, our local parish.
It reminds us that we should not just consider ourselves as passive recipients of the services offered to us through our parish, but how we should be active contributors in its life and mission.
As you may be aware the Church has just completed a month-long synod in Rome. The participants were asked to consider the life and mission of the Church under three headings – communion, participation and mission.
A synthesis document has now been released as a preparation for the second round of the synod in October 2024.
These three categories of communion, participation and mission can be helpful for us in considering our engagement in Catholic life.
Through Baptism we come into communion with God and with the body of believers, the Church. We all easily sense a certain communion with our fellow Catholics.
We do not have to know a fellow Catholic personally to have a real bond with them, because as St Paul says there is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God who is Father of all (Eph 46). We are in communion with all who are Catholic.
This communion then flows into our participation in the life of the Church. The apex of this participation is the Eucharist.
However, our participation is made concrete in that we are part of the local Christian community, the parish. Here we are reminded that we should be active participants, contributing in one way or another to the life and mission of the parish.
The third element is that of mission. We are conscious that Christ expects us to have a missionary outlook, willing to turn our faith in action. The multiple works of the Church give testimony to this.
We know also that the most important aspect to the mission of the Church is to witness to the faith and help others to come to know and love God. In this third dimension we are to engage as people of faith in the world around us.
Through our communion we belong, through our participation we contribute to the Christian community, through our mission we advance the work of Christ in the world. This is how we can see ourselves as Catholics.
The Gospel speaks in very clear terms that the Lord expects us to utilise the gifts we have been given. They are not be left dormant, buried in the ground.
Today we can ponder during this Mass on the particular gifts in the spiritual realm that God has given us. We can consider how we have been utilising these gifts and ask ourselves whether there is more we can and should be doing.
Archbishop Julian Porteous
Sunday, 19 November 2023