The parable of the talents

It is the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time and today marks the end of our Liturgical Calendar year as next Sunday is Christ the King Sunday, a.k.a. "Cristo Rey", which is the start of our new Liturgical Year. Today's gospel reading is but another parable to prepare our souls for the end of times when the Lord Jesus Christ returns for the final judgment. You can read it in your Bibles in Matt.25: 14-30.

14 "For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants [a] and entrusted to them his property. 15 To one he gave five talents, [b] to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more.

17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here, I have made five talents more.'

21 His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant.[c] You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here, I have made two talents more.' 23 His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.'

24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here, you have what is yours.' 26 But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.

28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

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This parable is not difficult to understand, it is in fact God's testimony for industrious people who get a reward for their hard work and diligence. Of course people with negative thoughts will insist that the reward that the master gave to his faithful and trustworthy servants is actually more work! But to many who have no work, getting a menial job is of grave importance; so in the end the more work one gets, it means more reward for that faithful servant.

But the case of the supposedly wicked servant, who in fairness to him, did not steal or misuse the talent given to him, but instead he buried it for fear of losing it, gets the ultimate punishment and is sent to that place where "there is weeping and gnashing of teeth" which is hell. While this sounds a bit harsh, the master is only warning people against being lazy.

In case you have already forgotten the seven deadly sins, let me refresh you. They are gluttony, fornication or lust, greed, pride or hubris, envy, wrath and sloth. Of course we must understand that God gives us different blessings according to our needs. But if we use our talents properly through proper education, then it is what is called "leveling the playing field" and God will reward us for our due diligence.

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