The readings today seem to me difficult to understand. They come from the Book of Revelation and from the gospel of St. Luke and narrate about the Parable of the Talents. I believe we need to spend time reflecting on the messages God wants us to focus on.
The Book of Revelation continues to unveil the secrets of the evangelist John right before our eyes. It is a clear vision of heaven when there is an image of 24 elders falling down in worship “before the one who sits on the throne and worship him, who lives forever and ever…exclaiming, worthy are you, Lord our God to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, because of your will they came to be and were created.” They throw down their crowns before the throne. It gives us an idea that in the end, we will surely face God on judgment day to assess ourselves.
The gospel is simply a correlation of that vision of St. John. Let me give you some points of how the master prepared the ten servants while he was on his journey to obtain his kingship. The master called them to engage in trading until he returns. It was an opportunity for them to improve their sense of responsibility by giving them ten gold coins.
The first servant received a coin and invested it until his master returns. He was praised and rewarded because of his resourcefulness. The second servant was able to increase five more and was rewarded. The last servant, afraid of losing the money, kept it until he returned exactly what he had been entrusted with. He was not praised and rewarded because he did not do anything to manifest his own initiative. Maybe the rest of the servants did not want him, thus he says, “I tell you, to everyone who has will be taken away. Now as for those enemies of mine who did not want me as their king, bring them here and slay them before me.”
This master in the story is not referring to an angry God or a mean God. However, this is to make us aware that ultimately, when we are given such great responsibility, we need to perform our job well and live righteously. We need to take risks doing something that will bear much fruit. What we have received from God are means to prove that we could be trusted and to make use of those gifts for our own benefit and for others as well. This is not to live here on earth by being lazy to preserve ourselves, unmindful of those entrusted to us. By not being appreciative of so many gifts, wasting our time and our life, doing nothing to act now, then consequently, how and what could we do to present ourselves worthily in front of God.
Again, in today’s gospel, Jesus challenges each of us to make better use of our gifts received knowing that we are good and faithful servants.
God bless you.
Fr. Arlon, osa
