You Have Talents

Dear Friend,

Alice Camille – a wise lover and teacher of sacred scripture – tells a lovely story about this week’s Gospel. It’s from her collection “The Transforming Word” (ACTA Publications, 2013). 

“I was talking to a group of small children about the gifts God had given them. One girl seemed unconvinced. Her older sister, she told me, with dewy-eyed admiration – had all the talent in the family: intelligence, athletic ability, and creativity. She herself, however, had none.

“On the contrary, I assured her, she had many gifts of her own. She had a generous love for her sister, a pleasant personality, a warm smile, and a way of making people happy to talk with her.  These were talents from God, too, and I urged her to name other things she was good at that were less obvious than these.

“Some weeks later I was at home, having a bad spell of writer’s block, and began to feel frustrated with the blank computer screen. Going to the mailbox to retrieve my letters, I noticed one printed in pencil. It was from the little girl I had spoken with, and inside the envelope was a crayon drawing with these simple words penciled alongside: You have talents. God created you to use your talents.  NAME THEM. In a moment, my sense of failure was gone, replaced by a child’s wonderful courage. She gave the story of the talents back to me multiplied and I got back to work exhilarated.”

Then Alice asks: “What talents have you been given by God, and how have you invested them?”

May a child’s wonderful courage bless us - unbury us - every day!

Gratefully,

Fr. Dan ofm, Pastor

 P.S.  Alice is a graduate of the Franciscan School of Theology.  Her work’s been feeding my soul for years. Taste and see for yourself!