Gospel:
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. After a long time the master of those servants came back and
settled accounts with them. The one who had received five talents came forward
bringing the additional five. He said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See,
I have made five more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and
faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you
great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’ Then the one who had
received two talents also came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two
talents. See, I have made two more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my
good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will
give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’ Then the one
who had received the one talent came forward and said, ‘Master, I knew you were
a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you
did not scatter; so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the
ground. Here it is back.’ His master said to him in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy
servant! So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I
did not scatter? Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I
could have got it back with interest on my return? Now then! Take the talent
from him and give it to the one with ten. For to everyone who has, more will be
given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has
will be taken away. And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside,
where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’”
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Reflection:
Do you
know that the Good Lord has given you talent/s that you can use to help Him
advance His kingdom in this world?
There
were three servants who were entrusted with talents by the Master who went on a
journey. The first servant was given five talents, the second two and third
one. The talents were given to them according to their abilities.
After a
period of time the Master came back and settled accounts with them. There was
no problem with the first two for both of them were productive, they were able
to exactly follow what the Master wanted them. However, the third servant was
not productive with the talent that was given to him.
The
Master was so angry with him that He lectured him that it was much better if he
had put the money in the bank so that it could have earned interest. Then, he
was punished. The talent was taken from him and he was banished into the
darkness outside, where there was wailing and grinding of teeth.
What a
frightening punishment for the unproductive servant, if only he risked in doing
business with the one talent that was given him. He could have avoided the
embarrassment and the chilling punishment.
What does
this gospel say about us? About our talents that we choose to keep to ourselves
rather than share it with the church and our fellowmen. Some of us are just
content to just come and go to the church every Sunday for Mass and give money
during collection. We think that this is already enough. But if we are
sensitive to the needs of the church we would notice that from time to time it
announces its need for parishioners to share whatever talents that they can
share.
You may
have the talent for singing, why not join the choir? You may have the charism
for service; why not join the Mother Butler or any other community oriented
organization in the church. You may have the talent for teaching, why not join
the catechist? And so on and so forth.
Let us
learn to share the talent that we have to our church and to our fellowmen so
that it will grow and bear much fruit in the hearts and minds of our fellowmen.
Let us share it not because we are afraid of the punishment that may befall us
if we would not. Let us share our talents out of our love for Jesus. – Marino J.
Dasmarinas
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