Jesus told his disciples this parable:
“A man going on a journey
called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them.
To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one —
to each according to his ability.
Then he went away.
After a long time
the master of those servants came back
and settled accounts with them.
The one who had received five talents came forward
bringing the additional five.
He said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents.
See, I have made five more.’
His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant.
Since you were faithful in small matters,
I will give you great responsibilities.
Come, share your master’s joy.'” (Mt 25:14-15, 19-21)
We are hard-wired to make people happy. From the moment we are born, we work at eliciting smiles from the “people who count”. That would be our parents and grandparents, at first. Then, it would be our friends, our teachers, and a whole host of others the older we get.
We like to know that we make others smile — that we make others happy — because, in doing so, we receive a reward. The reward might be a gift, it might be a favor done for us, it might be as simple as the smile warming our heart.
Jesus, in today’s Gospel, indicated that there was a reward involved for making the Father happy. We all believe that reward will be eternal life with God in heaven.
How do we make God happy? By using the gifts that He has given to us for the benefit not of ourselves but of others.
God has blessed us richly. Of that, there can be no doubt. We believe that God wants us to use those blessings for the good of all.
What blessings will you utilize today to make another smile?
FAITH ACTION: In quiet and thoughtful prayer, ask God to show you the blessings He has given to you so that you may not only identify them but use them this day.