REFLECTION
THIRTY-THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME
A - MT 25.14-30
TOM AND CATHY’S LIFE WAS TOUCHED BY CANCER. CATHY’S COUSIN HAD BREAST CANCER; THEN TOM WAS DIAGNOSED WITH PROSTATE CANCER. BESIDES THE LOVE OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS, TOM HAD ANOTHER RESOURCE FOR DEALING WITH CANCER: HIS COMIC STRIP WHICH HAS BECOME AN AMERICAN CLASSIC.
TOM BATIUK IS THE CREATOR OF THE COMIC STRIP FUNKY WINKERBEAN, PUBLISHED IN OVER 400 NEWSPAPERS. TOM BEGAN THE STRIP MANY YEARS AGO AS A LIGHTHEARTED LOOK AT HIGH SCHOOL. BUT OVER THE YEARS, HE USED THE STRIP TO EXPLORE SENSITIVE TOPICS SUCH AS DYSLEXIA, TEEN PREGNANCY, AND SUICIDE. AS HE AND HIS FAMILY DEALT WITH CANCER, THE QUESTION OCCURRED TO HIM: WHAT IF LISA, THE CENTRAL CHARACTER OF THE STRIP, GOT CANCER? SO OVER A YEAR’S TIME, HE TOLD THE STORY OF LISA’S STRUGGLES WITH CANCER, AND HOW IT AFFECTED HER HUSBAND, LES, AND THE FAMILY: THE ROLLER-COASTER EMOTIONAL SWINGS, THE FATIGUE, THE AFTEREFFECTS OF THE CHEMOTHERAPY, THE HAIR LOSS, LOSS OF TASTE, AND THE STRESS ON THE FAMILY. THE STORY ENDED WHEN LISA DIED WITH HER HUSBAND, LES, AT HER SIDE.
WHILE SOME READERS RESENTED ILLNESS AND DEATH INTRUDING ON THE COMICS PAGE, THE STORY WAS A SOURCE OF HOPE TO MANY FAMILIES, AND FOR OTHERS, A VEHICLE FOR UNDERSTANDING JUST WHAT LIVING WITH CANCER WAS ALL ABOUT. MANY WROTE TO THANK TOM FOR THAT STORY, AND ONE WOMAN WROTE, “IT WAS LIKE YOU SAW INTO MY HEART”, WHILE ANOTHER WROTE, “FOR THE FIRST TIME, I FEEL LIKE I’M NOT ALONE.” IN REFLECTING ON LISA’S STORY, AND ON HIS OWN FAMILY’S EXPERIENCE IN LIVING WITH CANCER, TOM SAID THAT “THERE’S HOPE, THERE’S A LOVE STORY IN EVERY ONE OF THESE PEOPLE. CATHY’S LOVE FOR ME, OUR LOVE FOR EACH OTHER [IS] THE ONE THING THAT’S BIGGER THAN CANCER AND BIGGER THAN ANY OF THE SYMPTOMS THAT WENT ALONG WITH IT. EVEN IF I HADN’T SURVIVED, THAT LOVE WOULD STILL BE THERE. LOVE WAS WHAT MADE HEAVEN SEEM POSSIBLE. I KNEW I HAD TO TELL THIS TO MY FUNKY WINKERBEAN READERS.”
IN THE FRAMES OF A SIMPLE COMIC STRIP, TOM BATIUK AND HIS FUNKY WINKERBEAN CHARACTERS BRIDGED THE CHASM BETWEEN EMPATHY AND PERSONAL EXPERIENCE. IN TODAY’S GOSPEL, JESUS CHALLENGES US TO COMMIT WHATEVER TALENTS, GIFTS, STRENGTHS, AND RESOURCES WE HAVE, TO USE WHATEVER WEALTH WE POSSESS TO BRING THE HOPE AND PEACE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD INTO OUR HURTING AND DESPERATE WORLD. SOME OF US POSSESS GREAT SKILLS IN MEDICINE, SCIENCE, IN LITERATURE OR THE ARTS, AND SOME OF US POSSESS THE ABILITY JUST TO LISTEN, OR TO OFFER ENCOURAGEMENT AND CARE, TO TRANSLATE COMPASSION INTO SUPPORT AND HEALING THAT IS SO DESPARATELY NEEDED TODAY. JESUS TEACHES US THAT OUR PLACE IN THE KINGDOM DEPENDS ON OUR STEWARDSHIP OF THESE GOD-GIVEN TALENTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS, AND WHETHER OR NOT WE BURY THEM OUT OF FEAR, SELFISHNESS OR NEGLECT, OR USE THEM TO REVEAL GOD AND HIS GOODNESS IN OUR MIDST. AND THIS APPLIES TO ALL OF US, YOUNG OR OLD EVERYWHERE. THE CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH REMINDS US THAT GOD “WILLS THAT EACH RECEIVE WHAT HE NEEDS FROM OTHERS, AND THAT THOSE ENDOWED WITH PARTICULAR ‘TALENTS’ SHARE THE BENEFITS WITH THOSE WHO NEED THEM. THESE DIFFERENCES ENCOURAGE AND OFTEN OBLIGE PERSONS TO PRACTICE GENEROSITY, KINDNESS, AND SHARING OF GOODS; THEY FOSTER THE NATURAL ENRICHMENT OF CULTURES” (#1937). [PAUSE]
JUST IMAGINE THE BOY IN SCHOOL WHO WATCHES THE CLOUDS ALL DAY. HE MAY NOT JUST BE DAYDREAMING—HE’S FASCINATED BY THE WEATHER, AND WANTS TO KNOW WHY IT RAINS, AND HOW STORMS GET STARTED AND WHAT MAKES IT SNOW. AS HE GETS OLDER, HE COULD TRANSFORM HIS INQUISITIVENESS INTO A CAREER AS A SCIENTIST OR METEOROLOGIST, IF HE USES HIS GOD-GIVEN TALENTS, AND IF SOMEONE ENCOURAGES HIM.
OR THE YOUNG WOMAN WHO IS NATURALLY LOVING, GENEROUS AND KIND, AND WHO HELPS HER WIDOWED MOTHER TAKE CARE OF HER YOUNGER BROTHERS AND SISTERS. SHE HAS ALREADY DISCOVERED THE JOY OF BEING A BIG SISTER. SOMEDAY SHE COULD BE A COMPASSIONATE TEACHER, A NURSE, OR A WISE COUNSELOR, A SKILLED PEDIATRICIAN, OR A LOVING MOM, IF SHE USES HER GOD-GIVEN TALENTS, AND IF SOMEONE ENCOURAGES HER.
THAT “IF” IS IF THEY ARE WILLING TO TAKE THE RISKS THAT COME WITH THE GIFTS AND TALENTS THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN, IF THEY INVEST THE TIME, THE ENERGY, THE HARD WORK, AND THE HUMILITY TO LEARN AND TRY, IF THEY COMMIT THEMSELVES TO STUDY AND TRAINING, IF THEY DON’T GIVE UP THE SHIP, AND IF SOMEONE THEY RESPECT ENCOURAGES THEM! EVERY ONE OF US HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED BY GOD WITH SOME GIFTS OR TALENTS OR OPPORTUNITIES TO CONTRIBUTE IN SOME POSITIVE WAY TO THE WORK OF CREATION, EVEN IF IT IS ONLY TO ENCOURAGE SOMEONE ELSE TO USE THEIR GIFTS. THE CHALLENGE IS TO BE WILLING TO EXPOSE OUR TRUE SELVES, TO RISK INVOLVEMENT WITH OTHERS, EVEN TO RISK FAILURE AND RIDICULE. JESUS IS TELLING US NOT TO BURY OUR TREASURES AND TALENTS IN THE GROUND OF SELF INTEREST OR SELF PITY, BUT TO INVEST THEM FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL. GOD WILL ONE DAY HOLD US ACCOUNTABLE, NOT FOR WHAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN, BUT FOR WHAT WE HAVE DONE WITH WHAT WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN. CHRIST CALLS US TO TAKE THE RISK OF INVESTING WHAT WE HAVE IN THE GREATER GOOD OF ALL. HE PROMISES US THE REWARD OF ENABLING OTHERS TO REALIZE A RETURN ON OUR INVESTMENTS, AND PROMISES US THE GREATEST RETURN OF ALL, THE REWARD OF EVERLASTING LIFE! AS WE SHARE THE SABBATH REST TODAY LET US ASK JESUS TO HELP US USE THE TALENTS WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN FOR HIS GLORY AND GOOD OF THOSE WHOSE LIVES WE TOUCH. MAY GOD GRANT US THIS. AMEN.