How Do I Use My Gifts?
Eric Hollas, OSB
Homily delivered at Saint John’s Abbey
27 February 2014
Today’s readings from the Letter of James (5:1-6) and the Gospel according to Mark (9:41-50) offer an abundance of riches for our consideration. It’s almost too much, and it would be nice to keep at least one of these in reserve for a day when the readings come up dry.
The passage from James is the sort that can fuel endless debate on public policy, but if it’s all the same to you I’d rather not go in that direction. Besides, if we interpret James quite literally, and if we assume it’s addressed only to those with lots of money, then we may very well miss the point of the passage entirely. If we assume that this is not about me because I don’t have a portfolio of stocks and bonds, then I’m ony fooling myself. This passage, I think, is about all forms of wealth.
The fact is, God gives an abundance of good gifts. They are not just assets on the balance sheet, because they also include our talents, our ability to love and to lend a helping hand to others, as well as our faith — which is the one gift that can energize everything else. What we choose to do with our riches, then, is terribly important.
As Mark reminds us, if we drive others away from God in the name of our faith, it’s better that we be flung into the sea. If our lives don’t point to God, and if I’m not ready to reach out to my fellow monk, or to a student or co-worker and offer them the allegorical cup of water, then what good am I to anyone?
Christ calls each one of us to be the salt that gives flavor to life. I can’t delegate that to someone else. I can’t turn to someone and say “You do it.” I can’t think of a single valid excuse that allows me to bury my own talent and then point a finger at others for having done the same. No, talents and riches given to me are meant to be used for all.
This is a mission that lasts a life-time, and in the course of a life-time we can grow tired of it all. But there’s at least one way to renew the savor of our salt. That’s why we gather around the table of the Lord this afternoon.
