Wednesday of Week 33 in Ordinary Time (Year II)
Saint Margaret of Scotland
Saint Gertrude, Virgin
Apocalypse 4:1-11 | Psalm 150 | Luke 19:11-28
Today’s gospel reminds me so much of Donald Trump’s “November Surprise”:
Nobleman goes to be appointed king.
He wins the U.S. presidential election…
He gives money to his servants to carry on the business while he’s away.
…so he has to hand off his business interests to his deputies.
His enemies send a delegation protesting his coronation.
Meanwhile, the protests continue, and there’s a public petition asking the Electoral College to elect Hillary Clinton instead.
Upon his return, he audits his servants’ profits.
Shades of The Apprentice…
He chastises his laggard servant and takes away his money.
…and his ever-popular catchphrase “You’re fired!”
He calls for his enemies to be executed.
Uh oh.
✞ ✞ ✞ ✞ ✞
One plausible interpretation of Luke’s version of this parable is that the 10:1 and 5:1 “profit margins” exhibited by the first two servants points to our call to bring others to faith in God. The interest that the third servant failed to accrue would then actually point to our own interest in the faith that we’ve been bequeathed as children of God.
In that vein, today’s reflection continues neatly from yesterday’s, wherein I describe the “lukewarm” faithful. Just as interest accrued in our bank accounts helps to offset inflationary “depreciation” of our money, so taking an active role in our Christianity helps to offset the natural tendency of the secular world’s troubles and cares to “depress” our hope and faith over time.
Prayer, fasting, almsgiving, and other Christian activities that we’re continually exhorted to perform, help us expand our “treasure” of faith. When we fail to do so, our “treasure” will slowly but surely rot away, and we’ll join the ranks of the “lukewarm”.
So let us urge each other to exercise our faith sincerely and often. Then, if we still can’t bring others to Christ by our example, at least we can claim with all sincerity:
Lord, my trust in You has only grown over time. You are the center of my life; in You I am, for You I long. May this “accrued interest” be pleasing to You, as a sign of my love and faithfulness. Amen.