Saint Matthew 25,14-30: Parable of the talents.
Today the continuous reading of Matthew concludes with the parable of the talents, within the context of Jesus eschatological discourse. Also, today we read for the last time the Gospel of Matthew, which has accompanied us for twelve weeks, from the 10th to the 21th. We have not read it in full: for example, we leave the final chapters, with the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus, for the days of Holy Week and Easter. After the parables of the thief, the return of the master and the young women who are waiting for the bridegroom, today Jesus transmits his teaching to us with that of talents.
Each one has to bring to fruition the talents he received from his master: five, two or one. It doesn’t matter how many he received (God is free and amazing to grant his grace). What counts is whether each employee has worked or not, if they have made a profit from that capital entrusted to them. Hear the same words of praise for the one who received five as the one who only received two. Instead, the lazy servant is accused, not of having wasted his talent or stolen his master’s money, but of not making it bear fruit.
Again, the slogan resounds: «stay awake, because you do not know the day or the hour.» Each of us has received his talents, and we do not know when the owner will return to hold us accountable for the use, we have made of them. We can think, above all, of the natural gifts we have received: life, health, intelligence, the abilities that characterize us (some are artists, others leaders, others have abundant sympathy …). Do we really take advantage of those talents? Do we also know how to use them for the benefit of the community? Or do we hide them «underground» out of laziness or false humility? We are not owners, but stewards of the gifts that God has made us, and that are presented here as a capital that he has invested in us.
But surely it is a question, in the intention of Jesus, also of the supernatural gifts that God has wanted to grant us. Israel had already had, in comparison with the other peoples, very special graces, as Yahweh’s chosen people. And he did not know how to take advantage of them. Christians still have more graces and gifts: Jesus Christ as Saviour and Teacher, the gift of his Spirit, the Word of God, the ecclesial community, faith, the sacraments. What fruit are we getting from them? Could we be accused of apathy or laziness? The excessive «prudence» of the third servant would be in us a clear «sin of omission», of which we also have to repent. It is not just about not doing evil, but about doing the good that God expects us to do. Like the tree, from which fruits are expected, and not just appearances.
We do not know how many years we have left to live and when we will be summoned for examination. But we all want the examiner, the Judge, to be able to tell us the words he keeps for those who have tried to live according to his ways: “Very good. You are a faithful and reliable employee. As you have been faithful in the little, go to the banquet of your master.
Peace and good
Br. Antonio Majeesh George Kallely, OFM
