The Lord replied, "Who, then, is the faithful and prudent steward whom the master will put in charge of his servants to distribute the food allowance at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master on arrival finds doing so. Truly, I say to you, he will put him in charge of all his property. But if that servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed in coming,' and begins to beat the menservants and the maidservants, to eat and drink and get drunk, then that servant's master will come on an unexpected day and at an unknown hour and will punish him severely and assign him a place with the unfaithful. ... Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more." 

Human beings are fascinated by magic. The Christian believes in God, however, not in the sense of being a person of magic, but a God who works with the people of this world to bring about good. Unfortunately, some of the people of this world do not have "good" in mind as they live their lives, and of course, such a state of mind breeds evil. Often such people will resort to something that looks like magic to accomplish their own selfish desires. The case in point in the movie "Sherlock Holmes" is Lord Blackwood who makes people believe that he is superior to everyone because he has magical powers, while working for an evil end. Holmes and Watson expose the so-called "magic" of Blackwood, and at the same time teach the police of Scotland Yard and indeed all of us that something may look like magic but in reality it is not. The only "magic" about our world is the wonder of its creation, and that is the work of God. The work of human beings who inhabit that world must be the work of using God's creation to bring about good.

What is expected of a person who is exceptionally talented? What should be the thinking of a person who has talents that make him/her a real genius in musical ability or intellectual pursuits? How should people think of themselves when they discover that they can perform even the most difficult tasks with relative ease? In terms of the movie "Sherlock Holmes," how should a person as clever as Lord Blackwood behave?

Jesus addressed such a case in his Gospel. He tells us that such people should be following through with the abilities they have and even enjoying the rewards that rightly come their way. But he also warns these talented people that they will be required to do even more than others. Once they understand how much has been entrusted to them, they are called to produce even more than they would normally accomplish. It is a challenging statement for talented people.

Unfortunately, there are many gifted people who do not realize what is asked of them. There are too many "Lord Blackwoods" in the world who would much rather use their exceptional abilities for their own good rather than the good of others. Jesus has harsh words for them. The lesson that comes from this session of the movie "Sherlock Holmes" is not only the usual one of "crime does not pay" which indeed is a good lesson. But it also speaks to all of us who have been given more than others--and in one way or another, it includes everyone of us. The message is that we must be aware of our gifts, enjoy them, but at the same time never forget the importance of using those gifts as God wants.

THOUGHT
 
PRAYER

Good and gracious God, we may not be the most talented people in the world, but we all enjoy wonderful gifts that ultimately have their origin with you. Help us understand the gifts and talents we have and give us the grace to use them well. Be with us, we pray. 

Questions, comments? Let me know. Email Fr. Mike

©2007 Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America