Gospel: Of Coins and Talents

Today is the Thirty Third Sunday in Ordinary Time and the Year A readings continue with another parable found in the Gospel According to St Matthew.

"It is like a man about to go abroad who summoned his servants and entrusted his property to them.

To one he gave five talents, to another two, to a third one, each in proportion to ability. Then he set out on his journey. 

The man who had received the five talents promptly went and traded with them and made five more.

The man who had received two made two more in the same way.

But the man who had received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

Now a long time afterwards, the master of those servants came back and went through his accounts with them.

The man who had received five talents came forward bringing five more. 'Sir,' he said. 'You entrusted me with five talents; here are five more that I have made.'

His master said to him, 'Well done, good and trusty servant; you have shown that you are trustworthy in small things; I will trust you with greater; come and join with your master's happiness.'

Next the man with two talents came forward. 'Sir,' he said. 'You entrusted me with two talents; here are two more that I have made.'

His master said to him, 'Well done, good and trustworthy servant; you have shown you are trustworthy in small things; I will trust you with greater; come and join in your master's happiness.'

Last came forward the man with a single talent. 'Sir,' said he. 'I had heard you were a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you had not scattered; so I was afraid, and I went off and hid your talent in the ground. Here it is; it was yours, you have it back.'

But his master answered him, 'You wicked and lazy servant! So you knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered? Well then, you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have got my money back with interest. So now, take the talent from him and give it to the man who has the ten talents.'

'For to everyone who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough; but everyone who has not, will be deprieved of even what he has.'

'As for this good-for-nothing servant, throw him into the darkness outside, where there will be weeping and grinding of teeth.'"

As read in light of last week's Gospel reading of the parable of the wise and foolish bridesmaids, this parable teaches that God's judgment will be based on the service we render to God and to one another in accordance with the gifts that God has given to us. Our gifts, or talents, are given to us for the service of others. If we fail to use these gifts, God's judgment on us will be severe. On the other hand, if we make use of these talents in service to the Kingdom of Heaven, we will be rewarded and entrusted with even more responsibilities.

This Gospel reminds us that Christian spirituality is not passive or inactive. We have to do sonething fruitful while waiting for the coming of the Lord. Our life of prayer helps us to discern the gifts that we have been given by God. This prayer and discernment ought to lead us to use our gifts in the service of God and our neighbor. God's grace allows us to share in the work of serving the Kingdom of Heaven.

Amen.

x-----x

Picture from Pexels.