Even what he has will be taken away
Published Aug 28, 2021 12:12 am
REFLECTIONS TODAY
The parable focuses on the third servant who is condemned by his master as “wicked and lazy” and whose talent is taken away from him. Not a few people would say that it is he who does the honorable thing. The audience of Jesus may also have realized that what the third servant does with the money is both legal and safe.
The opportunistic and hard-nosed master—who does not represent God or Jesus—expects the third servant to take a risk and to obtain results, not to play it safe by hiding the money in the ground. It is easy enough to dismiss this as a greedy person’s point of view. But in life, one who does not take risks may eventually lose out. “Use it, or lose it,” goes a saying.
And this may well be true of eternal life. Jesus teaches that whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever would lose his life will save it (Mt 16:25). Can one save anything without taking a risk? Those who do not take risks, those who try to save by not caring for people in need will lose everything. But if we do the “sacrificial losing” called for in the process of serving others, we will find ourselves saved for eternal life.
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… 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 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.’ ”
SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2021,” ST. PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.
The parable focuses on the third servant who is condemned by his master as “wicked and lazy” and whose talent is taken away from him. Not a few people would say that it is he who does the honorable thing. The audience of Jesus may also have realized that what the third servant does with the money is both legal and safe.
The opportunistic and hard-nosed master—who does not represent God or Jesus—expects the third servant to take a risk and to obtain results, not to play it safe by hiding the money in the ground. It is easy enough to dismiss this as a greedy person’s point of view. But in life, one who does not take risks may eventually lose out. “Use it, or lose it,” goes a saying.
And this may well be true of eternal life. Jesus teaches that whoever would save his life will lose it, and whoever would lose his life will save it (Mt 16:25). Can one save anything without taking a risk? Those who do not take risks, those who try to save by not caring for people in need will lose everything. But if we do the “sacrificial losing” called for in the process of serving others, we will find ourselves saved for eternal life.
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… 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 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.’ ”
SOURCE: “365 Days with the Lord 2021,” ST. PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; Fax 632-895-7328; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.