Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time: November 13, 2011

My Dear Parishioners,

“America’s Got Talent”, “Dancing with the Stars”, and “The Survivor” are all current, popular TV reality shows which draw great audiences throughout the country. Many are truly talented and others are not. At the end of these shows there is voting by judges and also by the audience to select a winner; but all of these contestants use their talents to the best of their abilities.

This is what we are asked to do as we gather at Mass this weekend; to use our talents for the greater glory of God and to enrich our world. In the last days of the liturgical year, Scripture reminds that there will be a final reckoning and we should be mindful that each of us has been given unique gifts and talents.

In all that we are and all that we do, we keep in mind there is no room for procrastination. God’s gifts cannot be left on the shelf, or put away until we retire and have more time. Some of the Talents we possess as Christians are honesty and goodness, patience, kindness, our concern for justice and for peace, and definitely our outreach to others, especially in sickness and death. All of these are God given talents for each of us. May we not bury them as did the servants in this week’s gospel but be like the first two servants, who continue to grow and develop them in each of our lives. The TV show “America’s Got Talent” is exciting and thrilling. May the talents we have be exciting in our lives so that we are all able to radiate the message of Jesus Christ.

Fr. Leroy