In the Spirit of St. Thomas of Villanova, Bishop and Confessor
Today’s sacred lections unite the praise of holy patriarchs and priests in Israel with the parable of the talents given by Our Lord in St. Matthew’s Gospel. The Church, in her wisdom, sets before us the figure of St. Thomas of Villanova, Bishop and Confessor, who embodied both the stewardship of divine gifts and the charity of a father in Christ. With him we commemorate also the soldier-martyrs of the Theban Legion, St. Maurice and his companions, whose fidelity unto death exemplifies the fruitfulness of faithful service.
The Memory of the Just is Blessed (Sirach 44–45)
The book of Sirach celebrates the just men of Israel: “Henoch pleased God, and was translated into paradise… Abraham was great in glory… Moses was beloved of God and men.” These words resound with what St. Augustine calls the “divine economy of remembrance,” wherein the righteous are not only praised but also held forth as models for imitation (cf. City of God, XV.17).
St. Gregory the Great observes that when Scripture recalls the patriarchs’ fidelity, it is not for idle admiration but for exhortation: “The lives of the saints are like lamps set upon a candlestick, that the darkness of our infirmity may be driven away by their example” (Hom. in Evang. I, hom. 38).
Thus the Church remembers her fathers in faith, not as distant figures but as present intercessors. In this light, St. Thomas of Villanova is enrolled among them: a bishop of simplicity, a confessor of truth, and above all a man of almsgiving whose remembrance in Christ continues to edify the faithful.
The Stewardship of the Talents (Matt 25:14–23)
Our Lord’s parable today presents the master who entrusts talents to his servants. To the faithful stewards He says: “Well done, good and faithful servant… enter into the joy of thy Lord.”
St. John Chrysostom comments that the talents signify not merely money or earthly gifts, but every grace bestowed by God—faith, teaching, the sacraments, opportunities for charity (Hom. on Matthew 78). To hide such gifts, as the slothful servant did, is to despise the Giver Himself.
How striking, then, is the life of St. Thomas of Villanova! The wealth entrusted to him—whether in learning, pastoral office, or temporal means—he multiplied not for himself but for the poor of Christ. St. Augustine once declared, “He who gives alms lays up treasure in heaven; he is the merchant who makes profit with the Lord’s talent” (Sermon 86). In this sense, the holy bishop was indeed that faithful servant who traded wisely until the Master’s return.
The Martyr’s Witness: St. Maurice and Companions
The commemoration of the Theban martyrs crowns today’s lessons with the highest example of stewardship. St. Maurice and his legion, soldiers of Christ more than of Caesar, refused to squander the talent of faith through compromise with idolatry. St. Ambrose extols such fidelity, saying: “The soldier of Christ is victorious when he dies rather than sins” (De Officiis, I.41).
Their sacrifice teaches us that the greatest fruit of the talents is the willingness to lose all for Christ, even life itself. What the bishop and confessor accomplished in almsgiving and pastoral charity, the martyr seals with blood.
Conclusion
In the harmony of these readings, the Church places before us a vision of Christian stewardship: the patriarchs remembered, the bishop who gave without measure, and the martyrs who surrendered life itself.
St. Thomas of Villanova, gentle father of the poor, and St. Maurice with his companions, steadfast soldiers of Christ—pray for us, that we may not bury our talents in sloth, but multiply them in charity, fidelity, and perseverance unto the joy of our Lord.