August 12, 2001

The Jesuit Anthony DeMello once told the story of a woman who walked into a brand new shop in the marketplace. To her surprise, she found God behind the counter. "What do you sell here?" she asked. "Everything your heart desires!" said God. Hardly daring to believe what she was hearing, the woman decided to ask God for the best things a human being could wish for. "I want peace of mind and love and happiness and wisdom and freedom from fear!" God smiled and said, "I think you've got it wrong, my dear. We do not sell fruits here, only seeds!"

All great things come from a combination of God's help and our toil. All wonderful happenings are a result of a working relationship between God and us. God provides the seed, but it is up to us to make something of the seed. If we want God to give us a blessing like saving us from a rising flood, we have to take advantage of the resources God has already provided.

Today's Gospel lays it on the line with the verse: "Much will be required of a person entrusted with much." If we want God to give us the world, we have to be willing to pay for it. We cannot be the one to whom much is given without being the one of whom much is expected.

SO THE QUESTION: WHAT ARE SOME EXPECTATIONS OF GOD FROM US?

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