1 Cor 1:26-31, Matt 25:14-30
Our talents and gifts are rare opportunities granted to us by our Creator. They are not what we earn, but gifts to be received with gratitude. They are given to us by God with the purpose of making the world a better place. We should humbly accept these talents and use them to help others, contributing to a better world for everyone.
Consider the story of a 7-year-old slave girl from Sudan, who was sold into slavery so many times that she forgot her real name. This was due to the torture and trauma, she endured. However, her captors renamed her Bakhita, meaning “the lucky one.” Bakhita was eventually sold to an Italian master who discovered her extraordinary gift for healing and her ability to bring joy to those around her.
Bakhita healed the only child of her slave master who had been suffering from a mysterious illness for a long time. Thanks to Italian law, she was later freed from slavery. She enrolled in catechism classes and chose to join the Canossian Daughters of Charity, the nuns who had taught her. Despite initial resistance due to her background, a miraculous event—where a dumb boy spoke in favor of her—led to her acceptance. Bakhita became a nun and was later canonized as a saint. Today, she is the patron saint of victims of modern slavery and human trafficking.
Moreover, St. Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 1:26-28 resonate with Bakhita’s story: “God chose what is foolish by human reckoning to shame the wise, and what is weak to shame the strong.” Bakhita’s life exemplifies this message.
Similarly, in Matthew 25:14-18, we learn how God gives talents according to each person’s abilities. Like St. Bakhita, let us use our talents and life opportunities to bring joy to others and make the world a better place for everyone.
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