Saturday of the Twenty-First Week in Ordinary Time Year 2 2024

Title

The Attitude of Grateful Faithfulness

Outline

What is ideally required from postulant?

Not a knowledge of chant and theology, not teaching skills, but ideally commitment to the order, a humility that makes them open to instruction, and love in the sense of seeking the good of the order and then superiors to the degree they know it.

That comes out in the desire to use the abilities they have or acquire in the order for the good of the order or those in the particular apostolate of the order.

But it also comes out in a humility that is willing to do the simple, unseen things if it is for the good of the order.

That is what Br. Andre showed on Mt Royale. He did not have strength to do what other monks did, but was accepted because the abbot could see the right inner desire in him, but only to serve as porter. And when he developed an intense prayer life in his humble duties, so that many came to see him to request his prayers, he did not get proud because of his gifts, but simply prayed and kept on scrubbing the floor.

That is the essence of our readings.

The first points God’s choosing those not gifted in the eyes of the world.

God chose to use such and gift such because it would be clear that it was his working through them, “so that no human being might boast before God. It is due to him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, as well as righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.” That also makes one live in thankfulness rather than slipping into pride.

And such an attitude protects us from making ministry about us

In Matthew the master gave his slaves fabulous amounts “according to [their] ability.” Two trust and are committed to their master and use their gifts as best they can, taking the risk because they trust their master’s judgment. And they receive the same commendation because they show the same inner attitude: “good and faithful servant.” And faithfulness increased the scope of their responsibilities so they could show more faithfulness.

The third does not trust his master nor his master’s judgment and so fears his master, thinking his master is using him. Thus he does not make even a low risk investment, but hides the funds for what he sees as his good, for self-protection, and he ends up not just chastised, but outside, no longer part of the household. His self-protective action revealed his inner lack of trust and love , that he was within not a part of the household.

What does that mean for us?

First, of course, remember in the parable the master is Jesus, who knows exactly what each one’s ability is and who seeks our good. I have been in situations in which I was assigned duties that were beyond me, perhaps because of the ignorance of a superior. In such a situation failure is fine so long as one retains the attitude of commitment and trust, for that is what God is looking for. (And sometimes this means suffering, at least in the Protestant world, when someone is punished for doing their best because the best did not meet the unrealistic expectations of their boss.)

But, second, primarily, the call is that God’s love for the world means that he will often use us where we do not have abilities, and often know it, to show the truth of the incarnation and to show that he is working in and through us. I think of Prof. Stanley Hauerwas who for decades felt out of place in the academic world.

And God’s love for us means that he is primarily interested in our faithfulness and not in our production. He is looking for good and faithful servants. If he gave the gift or assigned the task he will take responsibility for the outcome so long as we do it with all our heart coram deo.

And that means that we can work hard and yet relax, for we are working within the love of God.