During pre-marriage counseling, engaged couples, when discussing their plan for children, sometimes say: “We want to have just one or two children. We do not want to have to spread our love out over many children.” However, these couples have yet to learn the difference between the material world and the spiritual world. In the material world, the more you give away, the less you have. In the spiritual world, the more you give away, the more you have. The more love you give away, the more love you have to give.
The Gospel for this Sunday is the familiar parable of the talents. The servant who receives and gives away five talents ends up with ten. The one who gives away two, ends up with four. The one who holds on to the one talent, ends up with none. That is the paradox of the Gospel of Jesus. What you give away comes back exponentially. What you hold on to, you lose.
Ask any one who volunteers to serve others whether at a hospital, a school, a church, a service organization, etc. They will always tell you that they get back more than they give. The reason they tell you this is because it is true, it is how the spiritual world works.
During this month of November I am reminded to take time to acknowledge and give thanks to God for all that I have been given. Today I take it one step further, and ask myself: “What have I done with what I have been given?”
