“Good and Faithful Servant” by Phil Russell

Author's Parents' Wedding

 “Good and Faithful Servant” by Phil Russell

 Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

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“Blest are those who fear the Lord, and walk in his ways.” Psalm 128:1

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Proverbs 31:10 “When one finds a worthy wife” begins the chapter and verse. I know the Scripture well. My grandfather, spoke it of my grandmother, as did my Dad.

“Consider the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters.” 1 Thessalonians 5:1

The year was 1972. My Mother had just graduated from nursing at the age of 50. I was twenty-two. We were at my parents’ home family and friends gathered in their living room, to celebrate and congratulate her. My Dad, not being able to speak, overwhelmed with joy, as he was so proud of her and overwhelmed, with tears. Dad had some “Holy cards” printed up, with this scripture from Proverbs printed on the back. He told us to take it home and read it. He explained that it contained everything that he wanted to say about my Mother.

Granparents

At twenty-two, oldest of her six children, and the youngest being 12 and 14, it had been no easy task for her (or for him). I listened and I watched, I considered the season. I hoped that he had been able to express more with his own words, but he could not, as he was so overcome by his “joy”, both in and for her. I did take the card that evening and I read it, and, I read it again. I had to fully admit that it truly spoke of my mother, as that “Proverbs 31 Woman.”

It also spoke of my father’s love and admiration for her. About five years later, when my wife and I married, we chose Psalm 128 as the Psalm for our own Nuptial Mass. The Psalm and the Proverbs account are so very intertwined and interchangeable. I remembered my Dad and his love for my Mother, his wife. I had asked my Dad to serve as my “Best Man,” the job which he accepted. As he toasted us later at the reception, he spoke again of his own marriage and of his wife.  He blessed us and exhorted us to care and to grow together, as they had.

Best Man Toasting

The reception was in a garden, here was my Dad once again in front of a crowd professing the value of this woman, just like the man in Proverbs, at the city gates. 

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“Well done good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come share your Master’s joy. (Matthew 25:21)

Fast forward to years later, I heard a wonderful exegesis and teaching on this Proverbs scripture. The homilist spoke of how that “Proverbs Woman” was actually a type of “the Church” and that the “Man at the city gates” was in fact none other than Jesus professing his love and devotion for his own bride, “the Church.”

The homilist went on to connect it to this very Gospel of Saint Matthew’s. The parable of The Talents, and how each of us had to see ourselves individually and collectively as his “bride.”

Yes, even the men in the room were told that they needed to get comfortable with that; because as he said: Jesus was coming back for that “Bride” to present to his Father in Heaven. A chill went up my spine as I listened. We were called to be just as industrious as the “woman.” Years later, in the now and at this moment, I have never forgotten the lesson and the exhortation, in these scriptures that are contained here, today.

Now, at 71, almost 50 years later I remember the lesson spoken of in my parents living room, the wedding toast, and that valued homily taught so very well. How we want those words of the Bridegroom, Jesus, spoken to and over us. “Well done good and faithful servant, now enter into my Father’s joy.”

Blessed are those who fear the Lord, and walk in his ways!

“Consider the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters.”

Joy!