Lk 19:11-28 Engage in the Faith Trade

Wednesday of the Thirty-Third Week in Ordinary Time
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A nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return.  He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them, 'Engage in trade with these until I return.'

I imagine the nobleman as a wealthy client of an Antiquities Investment Firm asking his portfolio managers (i.e. servants) to do a bit of trading on the Biblical Gold Exchange.  Two of the managers are highly aggressive investors whereas the third manager is a bit of a newbie, fearful his client's gold will drop in value.  The third manager obviously doesn't like his "demanding" client.  Why even bother to make money for the new king?  Just store the gold coin in a ratty-old used handkerchief and give it back to him.

Engage in the Faith Trade.  When I think of the ten gold coins I think of the Lord's Ten Commandments.  Thou shall not steal, thou shall not kill, thou shall not covet, etc...

Am I guilty of disobeying one of the Commandments?  Have I sincerely followed the concept of "do unto others"?  Have I made an effort to engage in the faith trade - sharing my faith with others through Godly actions, words, and deeds?

The Faith Trade is a challenge.  It's not created for the weak or the faint of heart.  It's Christ focused, God infused, and Holy Spirit driven.  The Faith Trade takes perseverance, integrity, strength, dedication and courage.  The wicked servant in Jesus' parable made a costly and foolish mistake. His coin was taken away and given to another with ten.  He didn't obey his master's request to trade the money wisely.  Instead he harbored bitterness and criticism of his master choosing to do absolutely nothing out of fear. 

Is there a time in my life when I've been asked to do something and didn't follow through?  Does bitterness ravage my soul to the point I won't lift up a finger to help someone in need?

Be faithful in small matters.  Well done, Servant!  Boy, how I love to hear praise for a job well done even for something minor.  I like to be rewarded for my hard-earned effort.  I deserve it!  I did my best!  I was over the top!  Not so fast...Christ wants us to be humbly faithful in small matters.  Never take anything or anyone for granted.  Don't become haughty and arrogant.  Handle small matters with integrity and dignity.  We want others to see Christ in us and through us.  In the case of the good servants, the nobleman rewarded them by letting them take charge of ten cities.  At the end of time, will God reward those faithful in small matters entrance into the Kingdom of God?  It's all up to how we live our lives on earth.

Do I distort small matters in perverted ways or handle small matters in holy ways?

Who has, more will be given.  To have or have not...That is the question!  The more we share the faith of Christ with others, the more we will reap the benefits.   For every ounce of heavenly gold we share the more spiritually rich we become.  Faith flourishes when it's nurtured and treasured.   On the flip side, we may become spiritually penniless by our lack of faith.  What may be a reason for a lack of faith?  Tragedy, illness, death, resentment, anger, antipathy and ignorance.

The list goes on and on...  We should never allow our burdens to overpower us.  We have so much to look forward to in the Kingdom of Heaven.

Let's participate in a global faith trade and evangelize the message of Christ Jesus!

Jennifer Burgin is a convert to Catholicism.  She graduated from the University of Dallas Catholic Biblical School in 2011.  As a member of St. Joseph in Richardson, TX, she is an active Lector and Eucharistic Minister.  You can follow her blog "Jennifer's Spectrum of Spirituality" at jenniferburgin.blogspot.com