Thirty-Third Wednesday of Ordinary Time

Then the other servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief, for I was afraid of you, because you are a demanding man; you take up what you did not lay down and you harvest what you did not plant.’ He said to him, ‘With your own words I shall condemn you, you wicked servant. You knew I was a demanding man, taking up what I did not lay down and harvesting what I did not plant; why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’

Fear of failure can keep us from reaching our full potential as Christians. We can’t do good if we’re afraid of the cost in time, money, popularity, etc. We can’t avoid evil if we’re worried about ourselves more than others. We can’t be good and faithful servants if we are too anxious about what God is calling us to do. Sometimes we hide our gifts and talents beneath a blanket of insecurities. But Christ isn’t interested in our excuses. He demands good from his disciples. Anything less is unacceptable.

Have we buried our gifts and talents beneath our fears? How can we overcome our anxieties to become fruitful followers of Christ? In what ways can we return God’s Love and Mercy with spiritual interest?

O Lord, we want to multiply the gifts and talents you’ve given us.

Amen.