The weekend we have 8-9 men here trying to discern vocation in their lives and thinking of our life. Please keep them in prayer. Here are my own reflections at the Eucharist this morning..
Homilette at the Eucharist this AM (Readings are 1 Thes. 4:9-11 and Mt. 25:14-30)
Our gospel this morning may well be one of the best for this Come and See weekend when we have with us a number of men seeking to discern whether they have a vocation to our way of life. When one looks at a monastic vocation or at any vocation for that matter, one must ask if this is going to be the best way of using our God-given talents? Will this way of life help me to multiply my gifts in a way that is not only pleasing to God but will work for the up building of the Church, the spread of the Kingdom?
Needless to say, a life of prayer and sacrifice is of great value for the life of the Church. We have only to think of how Mary, whom we commemorate in a special way this morning, her faith as she pondered the Divine Word, her giving flesh to the very Son of God and loving him all through life, have had an enormous influence for the continual growth of the Church. I also think of someone like St Bernard who used his many talents for the love of Christ during the early years of our Cistercian Order. More than what we do, it is who we become through an inner transformation that puts to the best use the talents we have received.
May God give to each and all of us gathered here this morning an abiding sense of Christ’s great love for us that we celebrate in this Eucharist so as to put to the best use our gifts and hear one day the Lord’s words: “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”