The Fourth Gambler

Taking risks in the Christian life

 Matthew 25:14-30

Jesus told his disciples this parable: "A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one-- to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two.  But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master's money.

            You all know that I love to go over to parishioners’ homes for supper.  But what you may not know is that after supper I love to teach the children how to play poker.  Yep, poker.  Now, I realize that saying this is either going to drastically reduce my dinner invitations or maybe really increase them a lot, because you’d like to learn, too!  It’s amazing how quickly the children learn the game; a brief review of the rules, the ranking of the hands, and the dynamics of betting and bluffing.  Now, some children are natural risk-takers: they love to “bluff,” pretending to have a bigger hand than they really do.  They confidently say, “I’m all in,” and push all their Cheetos or marshmellows into the middle of the table because that’s what we bet with.  Other kids, however, are very conservative and don’t want to lose, so they fold quickly because they have a weak hand.  At some point in the evening, I always feel like singing that Kenny Rogers song, “The Gambler,” “You got to know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, and know when to run.  You never count your money, when you’re sittin’ at the table, there’ll be time enough for countin’ when the dealin’s done.”  Of course, poker is just a game but I hope it also teaches a valuable life-lesson: sometimes in life you have to take a risk, you can’t always play it safe all the time; you have to “gamble.”  In each person’s life, there comes a moment when you have to say, “I’m all in” and push all your Cheetos into the middle of the table, and risk it all.

            In the gospel today, Jesus tells the very familiar parable of a master who gives his servants different “talents.”  One receives 5, another 2 talents, and the third only gets 1.  You can almost imagine the master as “the dealer” of a poker game, and each of the servants gets a “hand” to play, some hands are better than others.  That’s the way life is. Two servants are willing to “gamble” and they double their winnings, while the third servant, who holds a weak hand, buries it, he basically “folds.”  The point of the parable is unmistakable: our talents are given to us to be multiplied, even put at risk, but definitely not to bury and not to fold.

            But did you notice there is another gambler in the parable?  Most people miss him.  The fourth gambler is the master himself!  The master is also “gambling,” not with talents, but with his servants.  He’s taking a risk that they will do well with his talents, he’s betting on them to make good with the talents. You see, the master has a lot to lose as well and he puts himself at risk.  We all know, of course, that the master of the parable is God.  I hope this will not sound too irreverent, but I believe God is like a shrewd gambler.  He has gone “all in” by sending his Son to save us, and then, he entrusts us –you and me – with his gifts and graces, his “talents.”  God is betting on us, like that master was betting on his servants.

            I often wonder why God called me to be a priest and now pastor of Immaculate Conception Church.  He took a big risk gambling on me!  He could have called someone smarter or someone younger or someone holier or someone better-looking – well, not better-looking.  Let’s be honest.  But God took a huge risk, a gamble, in inviting me and other weak, fallible and foolish men to be priests and to run his Church.  But you see, God is betting on us; he has gone “all in” with us.  But you know, we priests are gambling, too.  We’ve gone “all in” by giving up marriage and family, and possible fame and fortune to serve the Church.  Man, I sure hope this bet pays off, and bring us happiness!

But do you know who I think makes an even bigger bet?  It’s people who choose to marry.  They are basically gambling with their heart.  They have said, “I’m all in,” and pushed their heart into the middle of the table, and they are betting their spouse will love, cherish and respect that heart.  But it’s a huge risk, isn’t it?  Just ask anyone who has gotten a divorce.  The great Victorian poet, Alfred, Lord Tennyson wrote these memorable lines: “I hold it true, whate’er befall; I feel it when I sorrow most; ‘Tis better to have loved and lost. Than never to have loved at all” (“In Memoriam A.H.H.” Canto 27).  In other words, it’s better to take the risk of loving someone, marrying them, and possibly losing everything, than to fold and never take the chance, “than never to have loved at all.”

            You know, sooner or later in the Christian life, you have to take a risk; you have to put all your Cheetos into the middle of the table and say, “I’m going all in.”  We take great risks and gamble when we choose a vocation like priesthood or marriage; we gamble with our happiness and with our hearts.  We go “all in” when we decide which college to attend or what career to pursue; it may all “go south” and we fail miserably.  We gamble when we have another baby, hoping everything turns out well, like Catholics who used to have 6, 7, 8, and 9 kids.  Catholics were great gamblers back in the day!  We take risks when we move to another town and start life all over again.  I’m still in awe at my parents who moved not to another town but to another country – talk about a gutsy gamble!  We take a huge risk when we invite the priest over for supper and have no idea what he might teach our children after dinner!  But remember this: not only are you betting on God, that he will give you the grace you need, but God is also betting on you, not to bury your talents and abilities, not to fold.  Don’t forget about the Fourth Gambler in the parable.

            The 17th century French philosopher, Blaise Pascal saw the whole Christian enterprise in terms of a great gamble, what he called “the wager” (Pensee, 233).  Basically he said, it’s good to bet on God.  Sometimes in the Christian life, you have to say “I’m all in” and push all your Cheetos into the middle of the table and bet it all.  Why?  Because God is betting on you.

Praised be Jesus Christ!