33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

XXXIII Sunday (2023)

We are coming towards the end of the liturgical year. Next Sunday is the last Sunday, with the celebration of Christ, the King of the universe. For this reason, the word of God in these last weeks, remind us of the return of the Lord in glory and the consummation of time. In this way, we are called to remember that our time is limited. We are not God, but we are creatures. We have received life as a gift and must return it to God with good works. 

Although our life is finite and limited, God has destined us to participate in eternal life, in the divine life, through Jesus Christ, who became man and took our human nature to purify it and introduce it in the divine life with all the saints. Not only is our personal life limited and marked by time that inexorably passes, but the history of humanity is also limited. All life is consuming. Even creation itself cries out to God to be transfigured. 

For this reason, sacred scripture speaks to us of a final return of Christ, which brings to completion not only the personal history of each of us but also that of all humanity. It is crucial to be aware that our life is limited in time. This makes us think every moment we live is unique. None of us can stop time or slow down history. Every moment we experience in life is unique and unrepeatable. For this reason, we must try never to waste time but use it to do good and to know Jesus and the gospel more and more.

Furthermore, the limited nature of time and the announcement that the Lord comes in glory to judge the world ignites a sense of responsibility in us. We have received life not to waste time on useless things but to build ourselves up in goodness and promote the good life of all, the common good.

In this horizon, we find the meaning of the evangelical parable. It is the famous parable of the talents. The master gives different skills to his servants in different quantities. He being absent himself, lets the servants make the best use of the talents they have received. Upon his return, the master demands an account of what the servants have done with their talent. 

Each one managed to use the little or much that had been given to him and returned it to his master. The one who had received only one talent did not bear fruit. He was afraid. He hid his gift from himself and returned it to his master.
This parable makes us understand that God is not angry with us because we are sinners or limited. He knows our difficulties very well. God gets angry with us when he gives us a gift, and instead of welcoming it, making it bear fruit, and sharing it with others, we bury it and hide it so that it remains fruitless.

Brothers and sisters, we are responsible for the gifts we have been given. God has entrusted us with many spiritual and material gifts. God gives his people many charisms, but we must make them bear fruit and not hide them. God will ask us to account for what we have done with our lives and the goods we have received.

Dear faithful, I invite you to live your life responsibly. Let us help each other discover our gifts, talents, and charisms. Let us not mortify the gifts of the Spirit. Let them grow in us and share with everyone what God has given us.
Finally, I want to remind you that today is also the Seventh World Day of the Poor. It is a day strongly desired by Pope Francis, who reminds the whole Church of the importance of being close to the poor and sharing what we have with those in need. The theme that the Pope has chosen this year is: “Do not turn your face away from anyone poor” (Tob 4:7).

It is a phrase taken from the book of Tobit and calls us to have an open outlook on life, particularly those who find themselves in need. Like a society, a Christian community is measured by its ability to welcome those in need and promote their good. Let us never close ourselves off and our well-being. Let's close ourselves to our interests, but let's open up. This opening up to others will also be good for our hearts. In fact, our life is not fulfilled by the goods we can accumulate but by how we will be able to welcome the love of God and bring this love to others.

May our lady of Arabia and the holy martyrs of Najran, St Aretas, and companions help us to make our lives a gift to all for the greater glory of God.