While people were listening to Jesus
speak, he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem and they
thought that the Kingdom of God would appear there immediately. So he said, “A
nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and
then to return.
He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold
coins and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’ His fellow
citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to announce,
‘We do not want this man to be our king.’ But when he returned after obtaining
the kingship, he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money, to
learn what they had gained by trading.
The first came forward and said, ‘Sir, your gold coin
has earned ten additional ones.’ He replied, ‘Well done, good servant! You have
been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.’ Then the
second came and reported, ‘Your gold coin, sir, has earned five more.’ And to
this servant too he said, ‘You, take charge of five cities.’
Then the other servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is
your gold coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief, for I was afraid of
you, because you are a demanding man; you take up what you did not lay down and
you harvest what you did not plant.’ He said to him, ‘With your own words I
shall condemn you, you wicked servant.
You knew I was a demanding man, taking up what I did
not lay down and harvesting what I did not plant; why did you not put my money
in a bank? Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’ And to
those standing by he said, ‘Take the gold coin from him and give it to the
servant who has ten.’
But they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten gold
coins.’ He replied, ‘I tell you, to everyone who has, more will be given, but
from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Now as for those
enemies of mine who did not want me as their king, bring them here and slay
them before me.’”
After he had said this, he proceeded on his journey up
to Jerusalem.
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Reflection:
We
are taught by our faith that all blessings that come our way are God-given.
Thus, we have a responsibility to pay it forward, especially to those who are
in need. Whatever these blessings are—be they material or intellectual—we have
to share them. We should not keep them to ourselves; we have to share them. For
it is only in sharing what we have that we receive more blessings from the
Lord.
What
are you presently doing with the talents the good Lord has given you? Are you
using them to advance God’s kingdom in this world, or are you using them solely
to advance your own interests?
The
third servant was not as productive as the first and second because he was
fearful of the nobleman. Not only was he fearful, but he was also lazy and
selfish. That is why he simply stored the gold coin in a handkerchief and left
it there until it was taken back by the nobleman.
The
feelings of fear, laziness, and selfishness are qualities that paralyze a
person from becoming a useful citizen of this world and a more productive
servant of the Lord. If we want to serve and share in the mission of Jesus, we
need to discard these negative traits. We also need to maintain a strong
connection with the Lord. – Marino J. Dasmarinas
