Talent on Loan from ...

Ditto heads know the next word is "God." Something I was given to think about during a homily nearly two weeks ago before a spate of light blogging.

Our Padre likes using bits from a daily devotional book (that I must have misplaced when tidying up before Mom came over for diner...) in his homilies. On the 16th, he concluded with a line from Amy Welborn that went something like "God, help my talents to point others to you."

Sounds pithy enough, as in "duh, our talents are gifts from God that should be used to direct people to God." And maybe most folks never forget this, but it can be hard to remember when you help lead music at an early Mass. It's certainly much easier to worry that the talent (in this case singing ability) sounds OK, that we don't miss entrances or cues in the liturgy, etc. On the several recent Sundays when we've sung unaccompanied, there's also been the concern about pitches, timing, etc.

All of that becomes concern about performance. And while there is plenty in Scripture to support doing Well what we do for God, it shouldn't be so that no one complains. It should be so that people are given yet another opportunity to reflect on God's love for them.

Tomorrow we hear how God worked through Elisha and later how Jesus demonstrated God's power, both through feeding multitudes with small loaves of bread. I wonder how much of the original gifts of time, grinding and kneading, baking and packing were still evident in the multiplied loaves? Was the baker's craftsmanship still there in the texture as loaves were pulled apart and eaten? Were they still warm?

The offerings were good enough to give to God, Who blessed and used them to His glory. God, help my talents to point others to You.