Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time
The parable of the talents (Mt 25:14-30), is an intriguing parable on many levels. Liturgically, of course, we are hearing it today because the end of the liturgical year is approaching. Once again, like last weekend with the parable of the ten maidens, if we do not understand the parable in the context of the delay of the Parousia, it can be misunderstood. The point of the parable is not how to invest money or to make profit, but that one should not get careless and lose sight of eternity as we await the second coming of Christ.
The parable of the talents naturally draws our attention to the three individuals who were given the man’s talents and giving the account when he returned. I am going to resist the temptation to focus on the three persons, and instead, focus on the man who gives the talents. There are three things I want to say about him.
First, it tells us that the man was generous. To each of the three individuals towards whom he had no obligations, he gave his own possessions. If the man in the parable is God, and the individuals who received the gift is us, we realize that even though God owes us nothing, God has entrusted much to us. God is amazingly generous. God has given us life and everything that has comes with it – this beautiful creation, the people in our lives, our abilities, our intellect, our gifts, our emotions, and even our challenges. But most of all, we have been given God’s love, mercy, and redemption. Jesus has been given to us. Heaven itself has been offered to us.
Second, the parable tells us that the man trusted the individuals. He simply gave them the talents and he left town. He did not impose his views or tell them how they must do with his fortune. He simply trusted them. Once again, applying this to God and us, we realize that God trusts us immensely. The greatest symbol of God’s trust is freedom. Every human person has freedom cannot be taken away from them, except by injustice. We are free to make whatever we wish of our lives and do whatever we wish with many gifts God has given us. God trusts us with freedom, time, energy, resources, our bodies, our mind, and our hearts. All that we are and all that we have, God trusts us.
Third, the parable tells us something very beautiful and affirming about the man. It says, “To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one – to each according to his ability.” (Mt 25:15). The man is not the hard master that the third individual in today’s reading accused him of being. Relating this to God, we can say that God is reasonable. It tells us that God does not expect from us what is beyond our ability. This does not mean that God does not have any expectations of us. Rather, it means that God is good and understands our limits and extent of our possibilities.
The practical implications of this parable are very simple.
Each one of us, plays a dual role. On the one hand, we are like the man in the parable. We are called to be like him – generous, trusting, and reasonable. There are people in our lives – spouses, children, colleagues, students, parishioners, patients, clients, neighbours, and anyone else God has put in our lives. In these relationships we are called to be like God – generous, trusting, reasonable, and respectful of other people’s abilities.
On the other hand, we are like the men who in the parable, received the talents. We have been given life, talents, abilities, freedom, time, resources, and everything that comes with it. The God who gives them to us is generous, trusting, and reasonable. Today we are being invited not to bury these gifts but to use it for two things – one, for the common good and, two, to give glory to God. Yes, our gifts must be used not to make ourselves richer, to exercise power and authority, or to achieve fame. Rather, we are being invited to use God’s gifts to bring meaning to our lives, to enrich the world and the lives of people, and most of all, to bring honor and glory to God.
Soon we will bring our gifts – bread and wine – and place them on the altar. God receives these gifts and makes them something far greater than the gifts we have offered. The bread and wine become the real presence of God in the world. Today, along with the bread and wine let us offer all our all that we are and all that we have. When we do this, God accepts our gifts and transforms them into the very means of salvation. Amen.
- Fr. Satish Joseph