REFLECTIONS TODAY

Matthew’s eschatological discourse emphasizes that we have to wait because we do not know the time of the Lord’s return. The good news is that the Lord himself has left us with talents that we can use while we await his return. 

Today’s parable of the Talents narrates the story of a man who, before going on a journey, calls his servants and entrusts (paredōken) to them his possessions. He gives five talents of silver to a servant, two to another, and one to another servant. He entrusts the respective talents according to each of their abilities. The servant who receives five goes to do business and gains another five. 

The other servant who receives two talents does likewise and earns two more. But the last one digs a hole in the ground and then hides his given talent. In his return, the master praises the first two servants while the unproductive servant is thrown outside in the dark. Do we recognize our talents? Do we use our God given gifts for good, or do we waste them? How do we respond to the challenge of overcoming mediocrity?
 

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 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: “366 Days with the Lord 2024,” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: [email protected]; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.