The Twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost

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The Twenty-sixth Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 28), November 13, 2005
Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18, I Thessalonians 5:1-10, Matthew 25:14-15, 19-29
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, West Valley City, UT

Somehow, I'm not certain just how it all began, but I started to gain a collection of refrigerator magnets. Some are of places friends have gone and then given me. Some are humorous and/or inspirational. Some are just colorful eye candy for the beige (“almond”) refrigerator door. One favorite that I actually bought is from Sonoma: “I love to cook with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food.” Another one given to me is a rather tacky painting of Jesus standing at a door and knocking. It says: “Jesus is coming. Look busy!”

That is kind of the impression that one can get from the general tone of the readings today. Jesus is coming, or for Zephaniah, the “Lord,” and therefore we all need to get busy and do something. It reminds me of some patterns of parenting, where one parent will say to the child, “You better behave because daddy will be home soon.” Or, “Mommy will be home soon.”

I recently read an essay on how different religious people view God. The author categorized them into two general groupings: Those who see God as a disciplinarian parent and those who see God as a nurturing parent. Our view of God will color our understanding of Scripture and how we “read, mark, learn and inwardly digest” them. And vice verse.

The letter to the church in Thessalonica is the earliest of our Christian records. It hints that the people there were very concerned about just when and how Jesus would return. Paul tries to reassure them to just keep on living a faithful life as children of the light. They are no longer in the darkness of ignorance and sin regarding the grace and mercy of God. You don't need to be worried about the coming of Christ in glory as long as you live the life you are called to live in baptism. The coming of Christ will not surprise you as a thief in the night, since you will welcome him as your savior when he returns. Don't fret about tomorrow, but take care of today and the blessings and necessities of this hour.

Matthew's account of the parable of the talents presents an interesting twist to the sayings of Jesus. On the surface, generally not a good way to read scripture, it would appear a divine approval of capitalism with the investment of capital to assure a goodly profit. (Matthew was a tax collector after all and would have remembered this story!)

Even though the term “talent” probably represented a goodly sum, some estimate the equivalent of 15 years earnings for the average worker, this parable is not about money, banking, investments or stock leveraging. At least not to me.

It is also too superficial to read it as talents in the modern English sense of abilities and expertise, such as the talent for playing the piano or soccer or say poker. Rather, I read it as a story of personal responsibility and stewardship of the blessings given us.

I look at this community and I see a rich community of the blessed. Are we rich by the standards of our society? No, not really. By the standards of the world, yes, but not really of American society. But I am not referring to monetary standards of our society. I see a rich community of the blessed in your care and concern for one another, your stewardship of the graces given you.

I have often quoted the African proverb: “I am who we are.” I am grateful and humbled to be part of who we are, for I see a community of sincere and genuinely good people, striving to live their life faithfully in the light as they see the light of the Gospel. And each of us will see it from our own perspective. I see a community concerned about one another. I see a community that is open and friendly and welcoming to friend and stranger. I see a community of caring at St. Stephen's. I see a community that has taken the “talents” given to each of you and you have prospered and multiplied the blessings of those gifts.

You are not rich, but you are generous. You are not large, but you are not small of heart. You are not powerful, but you are strong in spirit. As our mission statement notes: you are a “welcoming, confident community with a diversity of gifts; where all are equal in Christ.”

Your stewardship of our common life at St. Stephen's flows from your “talents” of faith as you continue to support our ministries. This year's pledges have been for me an incredibly powerful symbol of the strength and faith of this community to give with joy for the work of the ministry at St. Stephen's. You are incredible!

But it is not about your “talents” of money, it is about your “talents” of faith. Your faithfulness, trust, perseverance and humility make me so very grateful to be a part of your life and to be the priest in the midst of your ministries.