Homily: 25th Sunday of Ordinary Time – Cycle C
In the film Oceans 11, a
gangster by the name of Danny Ocean rounds up ten associates to stage
simultaneous robberies of three major Las Vegas casinos during a popular boxing
event. Whether you’ve seen the original
1960 version or the 2001 version (and any of its sequels), you’ll know that, at
the end, we’re all left to feel like Mr. Ocean and his gang of associates are
heroes, even though they just succeeded in committing a major crime. And why is that? Why do we see them as heroes when they just
committed a major crime (and a sin against the seventh commandment)? There are actually a few reasons why we see
them as heroes, but one of the reasons we do is that we’re applauding the virtues
that were needed to accomplish such a complicated and daring feat. Mr. Ocean and his gang needed prudence and
wisdom in order to plan for a successful heist; and they needed courage and
temperance during the heist in order to pull it off. So I would argue that what we commend at the
end of the film is not the robberies themselves (hopefully, we all disapprove
of any act against the seventh commandment), but rather the display of virtues
that enabled them to pull it off.
Virtues are tools. The word virtue comes from the Latin word
“virtus” which means “a power to act in a particular way”. These powers are designed by God to be used
toward good ends: ends that lead us to live holy lives and that help build up
the community around us. Like any tool, however,
a virtue can be used for bad ends as well.
For example, when a hammer is used for the ends for which it was
designed, something constructive is accomplished. Yet, it can be used for
destructive ends, too: even at times being used to inflict physical harm on
others. Once a person acquires a tool,
it can be used in both ways; and the person who wields it takes on the
responsibility for how it is used.
As I already mentioned, in the film,
Mr. Ocean and his companions use the virtues that they have acquired for a
wicked purpose: that of robbing the casinos.
They did it in a very clever way that we all find exciting, but it
doesn’t change the fact that they used these tools for an evil purpose. Even though we are entertained when that is
portrayed for us fictitiously, upon reflection I presume that all of us would
step back and say, “but that was wrong and all of those men deserve to be
punished”.
Yet, in the gospel reading today, we
recounted how Jesus told a parable in which a servant who mismanaged his
master’s property was commended by that same master for using the virtues to
double-down on his mismanagement and gain advantage for himself. Jesus then seems to approve of this use of
the virtues for dishonesty and to suggest that his disciples learn to do the
same. If you’re like me, whenever you recount
this Gospel passage, I imagine that you find yourself saying: “What in the
world is going on here?” So let’s try to
figure this out.
First,
I think that it’s safe to say that this might be one of those parables that
demonstrates what Jesus said to his disciples about why he uses parables: “because
seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand”
(Mt 13:13). In other words, Jesus used
parables both to illustrate a point, but also to force his disciples to wrestle
with the meanings of things. He did this
because he knew that, without this wrestling, his disciples wouldn’t integrate
his teachings into their minds and hearts and, thus, would fail to follow them. This being said, let’s try to discern the
meaning that Jesus wants us to take from this teaching.
I
think that Jesus could have used the story of Oceans 11 to make his point. Because the point that he is making here is that
dishonest people know how to use the virtues to gain worldly advantage for
themselves, and that they are better at doing that than God’s holy people are
at using the virtues for supernatural advantages. Thus, what he appears to be saying to his
disciples is, “If you don’t yet know how to use the virtues for supernatural
gains, learn how to use them for worldly gains.
Then you might come to learn how to use them for supernatural gains.” Of course, he isn’t suggesting that we use
the virtues in sinful ways (like stealing).
Nevertheless, he seems to be suggesting that we learn the virtues by
applying them to worldly things. Then,
having developed the virtues in us, we can learn to apply them to supernatural
things. Jesus even suggests that, having
done this, we will prove ourselves ready to apply them to greater things and
that the Father will then entrust us with those things. Does this make sense?
So
what does this mean for us? Well, I
think that it means that we should look at the contexts in which we live and
seek to learn to live virtuously within them.
For example, do you have a job?
Well, then seek to use prudence to know how best to do your job for the
advantage of your employer. Seek to
exercise fortitude when things are difficult so as to complete the task at hand. Use temperance to avoid speaking negatively
and courage to speak up for what is right so as to build up the morale of your
fellow employees and create an atmosphere of cooperation among all. The use of these virtues will only result in
worldly gain. But in doing so, you will
strengthen the virtues within you and thus make yourself capable of being
called into a greater service for God and his kingdom.
Perhaps
another movie reference will help display what I’m suggesting: In the movie, Karate
Kid, Daniel asks Mr. Miyagi to teach him karate. Mr. Miyagi agrees, but then begins to give
him seemingly meaningless jobs around his property: wax the cars, paint the
fence, paint the house, etc., and he instructs him to do these things in very odd
and specific ways. “Like this, not like
that.” Daniel eventually gets frustrated
and asks when he will begin teaching him karate. Mr. Miyagi then demonstrates that, through
the mundane work that he had been doing, he had been learning the correct moves
as well as strengthening his exercise of them.
Daniel learned how to exercise the moves in meaningless ways, only to
find himself ready to apply them to the ways that were truly meaningful for
him.
My
brothers and sisters, our day-to-day lives are full of ways for us to exercise
the virtues. God has given us these
opportunities both so as to train us in the virtues and to give us the
opportunity to show that we are ready to be entrusted with greater works for
his kingdom. Therefore, let us not
neglect these daily opportunities, nor fail to trust God when he calls us to
greater things: for the kingdom of God depends on our readiness and our
trust. We can bravely do so, however,
because God is with us. As he
strengthens us for this work through our sharing in the sacrament of his Body
and Blood today, let us give thanks for this gift; and let us open ourselves to
do this good work, so that we might be ready to be welcomed into his eternal
dwelling.
Given in
Spanish at St. Joseph Parish: Rochester, IN – September 21st, 2025
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