Saturday of the Twenty-FirstWeek in Ordinary Time
The talents we received
“It will be as when a man who was going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one–to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two. But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money. After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five … ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’ (Then) the one who had received two talents … said … I have made two more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’ Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter; so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.’ His master said to him in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! … Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return? Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten … And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside… Mt 25,14-30
As we read this parable, we ask ourselves a question: what are the talents which we have received and which we have a duty to trade so that they can grow? Intelligence is a talent: the more it is used, the more it gets refined. Faith is a talent: the more one lives on his faith, the more it grows. The education we have received is a talent: with the use, it is perfected. Culture and our knowledge are talents: by using them, they become wider and firmer. The ability to communicate is a talent: the more you try to communicate properly, the better you communicate. Health is a talent: it improves with care. Natural flairs are talents: by recognising them, we use them for the best. The goods we owns are talents: trading and using them properly they become useful for our family and society. Beauty is a talent: caring for it and keeping it fit is a must. Joy and our smile are talents: by using them, we cheer ourselves and the others. The mental balance is a talent: we must not lose self-control and we must help each other to keep calm. The ability to pray is a talent: the more you pray, the better you pray. The ability to love and forgive is a talent: if you use it, you improve yourself and society. Patience is a talent: if we lose it, it is difficult to find it back. Good will and common sense are talents: they enhance the other ones.