33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
Pro 31:10-13,19-20,30-31
1 Ths 5:1-6
Mt 25:14-30
To one he gave five talents, to another two, to a third one; each in proportion to his ability. Then he set out.
Having been a Catholic for my entire life, I’ve read and heard the parable of the talents so many times. Reading this today made me wonder why the master had not given specific instructions to the servants what to do with the talents. After giving the talents, he just ‘set out’. I imagined that if this was set in the corporate world, it would be like giving your business managers a budget with no goals nor instructions. Just the thought of being given a budget, and only a budget, stresses me. But maybe, there were some points about this parable that we don’t explore frequently.
First, the servants knew the heart of the master. Even the one who was given one talent knew what the master wanted. In corporate lingo, the vision, the objective, and the goal was clear. The master did not give them a step-by-step guide to reach the goal, but he gave them what they needed and what he knew they were able to use. Remember that he gave ‘each in proportion to his ability.’ Similarly, God gave us talents, but it did not come with a specific manual as to how we are to use them. However, He gave us clear goals. We are to use our talents to build his Kingdom, to bring ourselves and others to Him. How exactly we do it is something God leaves to us. He also wants us to be happy and fulfilled while doing so. He shows us the goal, and he allows us to choose the path towards Him, with the Holy Spirit’s guidance, of course.
Next is that the master trusted his servants; and the first two trusted him back. Before leaving, he set all of them up for success. Giving in proportion to one’s abilities means he was not asking to give more than one is capable of. He also trusted them that they would know his heart and would seek to please him. The first two responded back in trust. They trusted in his kindness and his goodwill towards them. They knew that giving them resources without a lot of direction was only possible, because he trusted that he would care and love him back. They also trusted that they were given everything they needed, and hence, they were able to act without fear.
The third, however, responded in fear. He was afraid that he would disappoint his master, so he chose not to do anything. I think the betrayal was not that he did not yield results but that he did not even try. I think what hurt the master more was not that there was no return in investment, but that the third servant did not even think of the great thought the master put in giving him a mission in proportion to his ability. By not doing anything, the servant was effectively indicating he did not trust the master that he was provided with everything he needed to succeed. And this broke the master’s heart.
I think that when the master said that the first two servants were faithful, it was not because they produced the results. It was because they trusted him and went to work without fear. Let us trust that God has given us, and will continue to give us, what we need to succeed in our mission in life.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Stephanie Villa)
Prayer: Jesus, I trust in You.
Thanksgiving: Thank you, Father, for all the gifts that you have given me.
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