Readings for the Day:
Sermon:
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Original Manuscript:
A year and a half ago, I attended a very close friend of mine's ordination to the diaconate in England. The sermon at that service had an impact on me, not because it was good (it wasn't), because I remember what all he said (I don't), or because I remember the readings off the top of my head (I don't). It had an impact because of one little bit in there which was basically a charge to the soon to be ordinands, including my friend, to go out and use all in our power and ability to go out and serve the Lord.
When I heard him say this, I realized there was more I could be doing to spread the message of the Gospel out in the world. One of the ways, I realized, I could do this was through technology. I grumbled a bit, and started using social media a lot more than I had before because I knew that I could and I knew I could reach people this way. In fact, there have been times where more people listen to a Christian Formation session or a sermon than were present when I actually delivered them!
We're called to use all our gifts and abilities in service to our Lord. Those gifts and abilities are different for different people, but we are all required to examine those tools at our disposal and see what we can do to best do the work of Christ Jesus in this world.
That is what this parable is saying to us today. We don't hide our abilities under a bushel, but, as the song goes, we let them shine in the world. Our gifts, or as Matthew might put it in a similar parable, our talents are not meant to be buried underground. They're meant to be used and produce fruitful labour.
We use those gifts to serve God, and God alone. However, we do receive something from these gifts. We receive the wholeness of coming closer in relationship to Jesus Christ as we partake in His mission in this world, and as a result, we become formed more fully in the Resurrected Self that Jesus remakes us into.
Take the time to figure out what exactly your gifts are and then go use them in the power and name of Christ Jesus.