We are in the thirty-third
Sunday in Ordinary Time. A week is left before we close this liturgical year.
It is not a matter how we have begun a day or a year but how we complete it. It
was very true with Jesus. The culmination of His earthly life on Calvary was
the pivotal point in the history of salvation. Today’s Gospel, the parable of
talents is all about who we conclude our life with all that we are endowed
with. All of us have to give account for what we have received and what have we
done with them. The master expects more from the rich and less from the poor.
Hence, all are treated justly in accounting. Those who share the happiness of
the master are not the people who had received much but people who have yielded
something with what they had received. If one who received five talents in the
parable were to fail in being productive surely the master would have punished
him severely than the one who remained idle with one talent. Now let us enter
into the deep mystery that lies behind this wonderful parable.
Human beings are unique. No
one is a perfect photocopy of anyone who was before or who is now or who will
be in the future. This is why at funerals we say that no one can replace the
person who has passed away from this world. Each one is endowed with particular
capabilities and potentialities. The world is beautiful because of the
combination of different creatures. Similarly, humanity becomes beautiful and
enriching when there are differences in each human being. Thus, differences in
human beings are neither a limitation nor a lacuna. They are essential for
creativity and growth. In the Gospel, the master who is setting out on a long
journey entrusts his property with few people according to each one’s ability
and capabilities. Therefore, the difference in numbers of talents entrusted to
them is not discrimination rather a justice. What if a person who has capacity
to win a world cup for a country in international matches is given an
opportunity only to play at national level matches. Will that not be
discrimination to that person’s ability? Therefore, if we look from below, we
may see the distribution of talents to each person as disproportionate. On the contrary, if we look from above – from
the place of master who knows strengthens and weaknesses of his workers – the
distribution of talents would seem to be just. Now this is only a parable.
Jesus uses this parable to communicate something important. Thus, what does
Jesus mean by talents in the parable?
This parable is at the end
of Matthew’s gospel. Jesus is almost closing His ministry and going to be away
from this world. In His absence, the Kingdom of God – which he had inaugurated –
His sole property needs some custodians who can oversee it. The master in the
parable is Jesus Himself – the owner of the Church. The servants to whom the
master entrusts the talents signify Apostles and disciples to whom Jesus is
going to handover the responsibility of overseeing the Church. Hence, this
parable is directly addressed to the apostles – the first bishops (overseers)
of the Church – and to the disciples – the first Christians. In the Church,
each one is given responsibility according to his/her state of life and
positions. All need to use that responsibility with full commitment to achieve
the common goal of building up the Kingdom of God on earth. In the parable, the
one who received one talent does nothing with that money. The master harshly
rebukes him for his idleness. The servant points out his fear towards the
master as the reason for being idle with the talent. In the first reading, we
hear about the characteristics of an ideal wife from the book of Proverbs. One
of the important marks of good wife is the fear
of God (Pro 31:30). Beauty and charm do not make a woman a good wife rather
only the fear of God. Wisdom, knowledge and understanding are necessary for a
house woman to build a happy family. All these gifts emanate from the fear of
God (Prov 1:7; 9:10). If so, the servant in the parable who claims to have fear
of the master should have gained sufficient wisdom, knowledge and understanding
with regard to what to do with the received talent. None of the three who
received the talents got the command to be productive or an order to remain
idle. The first verse of the Gospel states that the master who is going for a
long journey entrusts his possessions to his servants... (Mt 25:14). Thus, the
servants are to take care of the master’s possessions in his absence. They had
to do what the master would do if he were to present in person. The first two
servants have understood their responsibility well and act accordingly. The
third servant fails to understand his role in the kingdom of the master. He has
fear that misfortune may come on his way that would entail the wrath of his
master on him. However, he has no concern that his master’s property is remaining
idle or not attaining any growth. The ideal wife fears God not that she may be
punished by God if she does not do so. She
fears God that she may be wound God if she does not do the work that is
entrusted to her. She feels that his love for God may be disturbed if she does
not carry out the will of God in her life. So, Fear is not about being
rejected by someone but about offending someone whom s/he loves. The first two
servants love their master and value the property of the master. Hence, they do
the necessary thing. The third servant has no love for his master. All that he
wants is that he be at the safer side. Love moves the person to act. Idleness
is an opposite of Love. Therefore, an idle person is selfish who has no virtue
to share and care for. In this line, the fear of God in the bible is fear of
losing God by not doing His will.
As we are nearing the end of
the liturgical year it’s a good time to take stock of what have we done for the
building of the Kingdom of God with our capabilities and potentialities. Both
clergy and laity have their role to play. As per the state of life, situations
and uniqueness we are given a grace to do our part. As a priest have I saved
some souls in this year? As a religious have I exemplified holiness of God to
others this year? As a family wo/man have I passed on the faith to my
children?... we can go on adding according to one’s life situations and
positions. Let us take a review of our Christian life before we end this liturgical
year. May we recognize our roles and positions in the Church and do the
necessary. May God bless you all!
Comments
Post a Comment