Who is the Faithful and Prudent Servant

August 30, 2007

Thursday of the Twenty-first Week in Ordinary Time

“Fill us with your love, oh Lord, and we will sing for joy.” Psalm 90:14

“Who, then, is the faithful and prudent servant, whom the master has put in charge of his household to distribute to them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on his arrival finds doing so. Amen, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. Matthew 24:45-47

Piety

Jesus, my own Jesus — I am only Thine — I am so stupid — I do not know what to say but do with me whatever You wish — as You wish — as long as you wish. Blessed Teresa

Study

http://www.usccb.org/nab/083007.shtml

Optimism and worry mark St. Paul’s message to the Thessalonians just as it marks our journey in the Cursillo method. What is the source of St. Paul’s reassurance? Although we don’t see it in today’s First Reading, we learn about the source in the preceding verse:

But just now Timothy has returned to us from you, bringing us the good news of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us and long to see us as we long to see you. (1 Thessalonians 3:6)

Think back to the reassuring joy of your own personal weekend. The support you got from your community. The loving example of the team. The warmth and reassurance that you felt as the weekend wound to a finale on Sunday with Mass and a community celebration.

Have you ever attended a Reunion/School of Leaders function? Maybe not. Usually there are only about a dozen hardy souls who attend these.

Are you faithful to your group reunion? Even in the summer months?

This movement is about more than just growing new Cursillistas. It is about growing mature Christians to live a life filled with piety, study and action. St. Paul was reassured because he witnessed the piety and action of the church in a small Greek village. Would he be so reassured if he visited Fairfax? Fredericksburg? Woodstock? Your house?

As we approach the fall, perhaps now is a time you can assess how to grow in your faith. Your opportunities are not limited to Cursillo functions. These are there to support and strengthen you as you move beyond the Cursillo community into other phases of your life. But your active involvement is needed to keep this movement alive and growing.

Matthew continues to warn us of the trap hypocrisy puts in our path. Just like St. Paul, he tells us that the active love of the faithful servant will be rewarded.

The choice to become a faithful and prudent servant is obvious. Are we up to the task?

Action

Today, a fellow Cursillista asked me if I had heard about a Time magazine story on Mother Teresa that was subject of a news report Wednesday on NBC. Once found, the article is based upon a new book, Mother Teresa: Come Be My Light (Doubleday), detailing her spiritual journey – its ups and mostly its downs – through private correspondence. Despite possible sainthood, the stories about this book (to be published next month) reinforce the mere humanity of this “faithful and prudent servant.”

Although a first quick check of the World Wide Web did not uncover the actual magazine story, on a visit to the doctor after work, the kindly sad eyes of this missionary were looking up at me from the table in the waiting room. The article introduces us to another aspect of Blessed Teresa’s life: the doubts and loneliness she felt when she could no longer perceive God active in her life…a period that lasted decades.

The article speculates that “Teresa's inability to perceive Christ in her life did not mean he wasn't there. In fact, they see his absence as part of the divine gift that enabled her to do great work.”

Despite her “dark nights,” if St. Paul’s disciple Timothy had visited Calcutta and witnessed the work of the Missionaries of Charity and heard how Mother Teresa abandoned all vestiges of pride, perhaps he would have reported the same thing he spoke of after the visit to Thessalonika.

But just now Timothy has returned to us from you, bringing us the good news of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us and long to see us as we long to see you.

What report would Timothy file after his visit to see you?