We should not be surprised by this phenomenon. If we are more faithful to our vocation and mission, if we are more generous in our self-giving, we should not be surprised if we are also given more duties and responsibilities, and more tasks to perform.

This can be verified in that parable of the three servants as narrated in the gospel of St. Matthew (25, 14-30). That is where we find these words which are supposed to be a lesson to us: “Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities.” (25, 21)

Not only that, we also hear these words: “To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away.” (25, 29)

We have to pay close attention to these words so we would know what to do with all the gifts and endowments God has given us and what we can expect if we are faithful and generous with them or, the opposite, if we are unfaithful and ungenerous.

We should be ready to take on greater responsibilities and to do more tasks if we are faithful and fruitful with what we have at the moment. We have to be wary of our tendency to be contented with what we are having and how we are doing at the moment and thus easily fall into complacency, lukewarmness, self-satisfaction and the like. These are signs of aging and dying of the spirit.

Let’s always remember that in our spiritual life, in our relation of love with God and with everybody else, there is no stopping even if our bodily organism ages and eventually dies.

We just have to be game in this unending adventure of love that our life here on earth is supposed to be. That adventure will only have its culmination when we are finally reunited with our Creator in heaven. That adventure will always involve some mystery. It will elicit thrill and suspense. We just have to be careful not to be overtaken by anxiety especially when frustrations and setbacks come. We have to trust in the all-powerful providence of God.

What we have to do is to prepare ourselves by growing in authentic sanctity that would involve the duty to grow in our virtues and skills. We need to develop more competence in our field of work, more creativity, inventiveness, resourcefulness.

We should not forget that together with greater responsibilities and more tasks will there be more grace that God will grant us. And together with this growth, we should neither forget that there will be more trials, more challenges, more temptations, etc. The devil and the other enemies of our soul will also do their part.

We should not be surprised if these enemies would also intensify their attacks on us. God will always be taking care of them. Let’s take comfort in these words of St. Paul: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” (1 Cor 10, 13)

But let’s remember that God will always prevail. We should not forget what St. Paul said: “All things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called to his purpose.” (Rom 8, 28) This reassurance should always be in our mind and heart especially in our difficult moments.

We should not be afraid to go to where God leads us. We are always in God’s hands even if are also responsible for the adventure of our life./WDJ