Today’s first reading and gospel tell stories of courage and cowardice. The mother and her seven sons are heroically courageous in not giving in to the King’s demand that they violate their religious practices. On the other hand, the servant given one gold coin is so fearful of the King that he doesn’t even put it in the bank to earn interest.
Every one of us faces times in our life when we are afraid. The question is, what do then?
For starters, it helps to believe that everything we do on earth, as vital as it might be, is not the end of our stories. Like the mother and her seven sons, it’s our faith in God, who promises us eternal life that gives us the perspective and the strength to do what is right even when there are tough outcomes.
To me, the biggest difference between that mother and her sons and the fearful servant has to do with faith and love. That mother and her sons believed in God so completely that they, out of love, could not deny him, even if it meant suffering and losing earthly life. On the other hand, the king’s servant in the gospel was so paralyzed by fear of losing out in this life that he couldn’t invest what he was given and wound up with nothing.
These stories remind us of the importance of parents, godparents, and extended family investing in our children learning to love God. In emulating that mother, countless parents and other family members have made that investment by having children baptized, making their first Confession, receiving Holy Communion, and then Confirmation. By doing this, you have invested in their eternal life. You’ve done it by teaching your children how to pray, by reading children’s bible stories, by going to Mass and explaining what is taking place, and by having them receive religious education.
Without that investment in our children, how can they know that there is one King overall? How can we expect them or ourselves to be ready to face challenging moments when we’re asked to choose between serving God and serving man? There are many lesser ways, short of becoming a martyr that they and we can be asked to compromise our love for God.
But when we know God, when we are turning to Him each day in prayer and the sacraments, when we share His love in our families, like that mother and her sons, it’s then that not only can we stay together, but we can also overcome any trial, on our way to Heaven.
May God bless you and your families this holy day, as we turn to God to deepen our faith and courage to follow Him each day.
