11-25-13
(St. Catherine of Alexandria, Virgin and Martyr)
Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon had some of the exiled men of Israel and Judah appear before him to choose the very best to work in his service. From those,
he chose the “men of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.”
The men were tested and trained and, “To these four young men God gave
knowledge and proficiency in all literature and science,
and to Daniel the understanding of all visions and dreams.” (Dn 1:1-6, 8-20)
These ‘gifts’ would benefit the King and eventually even save their very lives.
You see, beloved, just like our Saint of the Day, Catherine, these very learned
men were willing to give their entire lives for their God.
Unlike King Nebuchadnezzar, God is not looking for talent that he could
exploit for His own benefit. God gives us our talents and then asks us
to give up everything else in order to use those talents for his benefit,
at whatever the cost may be – of every other thing we own.
In watching a poor woman give to the Temple treasury,
Jesus told his disciples, “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more
than all the rest; for those others have all made offerings from their
surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered
her whole livelihood.” Lk 21:1-4
We are not to offer our surplus to the Lord, beloved,
but our very essence – from the talents God has so blessed us with.
And the first of those – is LOVE!
____________________________________end of post
Whispers to the Wind 