“Much will be required of the person entrusted with much, and still more will be demanded of the person entrusted with more.” These words of Jesus remind me of another wisdom figure but of a different sort altogether. Snoopy, of the Peanuts comic strip, is lying on the top of his dog house and says, “There is no heavier burden than a great potential.” It is easy to notice what we don’t have — riches, beauty, fame. But we must notice how much we have been entrusted with — family, education, health. In addition, we have learned from others about compassion, generosity, forgiveness. Since we have been given these things God expects that we will pay them forward toward others. We might not look on our potential as great but the impact on our circle of care is incalculable. Mother Teresa said don’t aspire to do great things but do even the little things with great care. In the plan of God the power of the divine love we have been given blossoms and grows the more we give it away. As yet another cartooon figure, Spiderman, put it: with great power comes great responsibility.
