Readings: 1 Thessalonians 4:9-11, Ps. 98:1,7-9, Matthew 25:14-30
“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.” (Matthew 25:21)
Today’s Gospel passage is similar to the Parable of the Ten Virgins, as both teachings contain Jesus’ instruction on how we must best prepare to render an account of our lives. While the parable of the ten virgins encourages us to go the extra mile (aim for excellence), the parable of the talents encourages us not to bury our talents. Just as it is foolish to depend only on the oil in your lamp, it is equally unwise not to light your lamp for fear of using up the oil in it.
Why did this servant bury his talent?
1) He felt cheated. Why would God give others more talents than me? We do not all have equal opportunities, but we all have equal abilities to make the best of our unique opportunities. God gives to each according to their ability. Some people are more fortunate than others, but just as our abilities differ, so do our problems. Avoid envy; no one is better than you. Avoid pride; you are not better than anyone else. We are just different. Avoid comparing your life to that of anyone. You are unique.
2) He buried his talent so he could have more time to gossip about others. This servant represents individuals who believe they were born to watch (observe, criticise or judge) others. Today, St. Paul encourages us to mind our business: “We exhort you, brethren, to aspire to live quietly, to mind your affairs, and to work with your hands, as we charged you; so that you may command the respect of outsiders, and be dependent on nobody.” (1 Thessalonians 4:10-12). Save yourself from stress by taking care of your own business.
3) He felt that one talent was not enough for any substantial investment. Even if you have only one talent, nurture it. Remember that talent is never enough. You must develop it like gold that must be polished and purified to shine. As you grow your talent, also invest in your limitations. Instead of wishing your life were problem-free, ask, “What if my problems are blessings in disguise?” Stop complaining and start small. Every great and beautiful thing (including you) started small. When you were only a few days old in your mother’s womb, you were small yet full of life and powerful.
4) He wanted to annoy the master. This is the worst possible excuse – cheating yourself in a bid to hurt someone else. Perhaps this servant was angry with the master already, and he thought the only way to express his anger was by disobeying his instruction. We cheat ourselves when we disobey God’s commandments because we feel God has not done enough for us. Even if you are not happy with God, trust and obey Him. God doesn’t need you to be God, but you need Him to be alive. Even if all humanity decides not to worship Him, the stones, the rivers, the animals, and plants will serve Him. If you bury your talents, there will be many more to use theirs.
5) He considered the master to be a lazy fellow. The servant said to himself, “If my master wants to trade, why would he use me as leverage? Why not come down and trade by himself?” By refusing to trade with his talent, this servant displayed laziness (the very evil he was projecting to the master). Watch out for the names you call others; you might be judging yourself through the lens of others. “Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow; so, I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.” Before you judge someone, ask yourself what you would have done better if you were in their shoes.
The master called the servant who buried his talent wicked and slothful. We are evil and slothful when we bury our talents; when we focus on pulling others down instead of developing our God-given abilities and skills; when we live with envy, picking faults in everyone, complaining about our leaders, yet failing to contribute our quota to a better society.
You might wonder, since the master knew that this servant did not have the capacity for trading, why did he still give him one talent? This tells us that nobody is useless. Regardless of our weaknesses, God still give us opportunities to be our best. Do not condemn yourself; you can still be a star. Remember, God does not expect you to outshine everyone else. He only wants you to be the best version of yourself. This is why the master did not complain about the servant who only made two more talents.
Let us pray: Almighty, ever-living God, give us the grace to use our talents while we live so that we may die empty. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God forever and ever. Amen.
Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. May God’s abundant blessings be upon us all. (Saturday of week 21 in Ordinary Time. Liturgical Colour: Green. Bible Study: 1 Thessalonians 4:9-11, Ps. 98:1,7-9, Matthew 25:14-30)
@Rev. Fr. Evaristus E. Abu