As our liturgical year draws quickly to a close, the readings today are about the end times; when Jesus will come again in glory and judgment. To that end St. Paul, in the 2^nd reading, warns us to be on guard, because Christ will come again when we least expect it; like a thief in the night. Since we do not the exact time, we must stay alert and sober. If not, we could easily be lulled into a false sense of security, and be unprepared when he does come. We are reminded that we should take advantage of the time that we have in this life to do good, because as St. Paul says, we "are children of light and…of day…not of the night or of darkness." We must remain vigilant, because some day we will be held accountable for what we did or did not do in this life.

In the 1^st reading the "perfect wife," as she is called, wins praise because she is wise and industrious, because she uses her gifts well. In the gospel parable we are told that our entrance into the reign of God will be determined, not by the size of the talents we have, but by the way we have used the talents that God has given us. The "perfect wife" of the 1^st reading and the first two industrious servants of the Gospel parable are successes in God’s eyes because their lives, whether exalted or humble, it matters not, are of benefit to others.

It is easy for us to think that, because we may not have much in the way of talents and gifts, we’re not very important. But the fact of the matter is that each one of us, however meager our gifts may seem, has a vital role in God’s plan.

There is a story about a traveler walking down a road who came upon a sparrow lying on its back in the middle of the road. The traveler looked down on the little creature and asked: "Why are you lying down like that?" "I heard that the sky is going to fall today," the little bird replied. The traveler began to laugh, "I suppose you think your spindly little legs are going to hold up the big sky?" The determined little sparrow said simply, "One does what one can."

And that is really what today’s gospel is all about. Every one of us is gifted by God to do our part in building up his Kingdom on earth. God wants us to do the best we can with what we have been given, be it great or small. Maybe there are some who have the opportunity to determine and influence public policies and provide for the common good. Maybe there are some who have the skills to bring healing, hope and wisdom to others. Maybe some of us have the ability to help others understand, affirm and celebrate the humanity we all share. But most of us, though, are quiet, ordinary people whose opportunities consist in bringing hope to others through the sincerity, kindness and values we bring to every day dimensions of living and life.

The servant that the gospel calls "worthless" refers to those who either cannot see beyond their own eyes and squander their talents, or use them irresponsibly for personal profit or self-gratification, or who are lazy or fearful, and bury their heads in the sand like an ostrich. They are the ones who will not risk using what they have been given, even though they know that their master, God, is as the gospel says, a "demanding person, harvesting where he did not plant and gathering where he did not scatter," who expects a profit from his investment.

All of us have been called through our baptism to be sharers in the ministry of Jesus Christ, which is that of preaching and teaching the Good News of salvation by word and example. We are called to be risk-takers who choose to commit ourselves to the cause of truth, justice, peace & love. While at times we may feel it is safer to bury or to hold tight the Good News that has been invested in us, the truth of the matter is, we are challenged to be daring in its promulgation. We are to take it with us to people and to places that may not welcome us. We are to dare to speak its message even where and when it shall be considered unpopular, unwanted or even considered outdated.

We have to use all the talents and gifts we have been given to live a Christian life and to present the treasure of our Christianity before God when our judgment comes. Jesus Christ is always with us, so our efforts to change the world will be far more successful than those of the sparrow lying on its back trying to keep the sky from falling.