In the Gospel of Matthew, the Parable of the Talents comes right before the description of the Last Judgement. In fact, as we prepare to close the liturgical year, we have been hearing themes that touch on the end of the world, the judgement, and eternal salvation or eternal damnation. Last week we listened to the parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, and learned that we need to keep our lamps of faith well supplied with oil. In this Sunday’s parable, the Lord comes back, and asks an accounting from all his servants: what have you done with the talents that I gave you? How have you managed my talents? The Lord wants all of us to enter the joy of the eternal banquet, but there is a time of testing involved, a time of testing here on this earth. We need to have enough oil to have our lamps lit. We need to put into practice our talents, our virtues, and abilities. The last servant, the one who chose to hide his talent in the ground, did so partly because of fear. In the words of Origen, “This servant seems to me to have been one of those who believe but do not act honestly…They who are such seem to me to have a fear of God, and to regard Him as austere and implacable” (Catena aurea, vol.1, pg. 694, 2014). Those who are frightened of God, and see Him as stern and merciless, are those who are tempted to hide their talents in the ground. If God is cold-hearted, then what’s the use of trying to work to please Him? We need to believe that we have a good and merciful Father, who wants all of us in the eternal banquet. He wants to say to each of us, “Well done, good and trustworthy slave…enter into the joy of your master.” He does, however, ask us to use our talents, however many He has given us, to work for His glory, and the good of our neighbour. As St. Therese of Lisieux said, “a soul that is burning with love cannot remain inactive” (Pope Francis, C’est la Confiance – Apostolic Exhortation, 12, 15 Oct. 2023). So, we should use our talents, with charity, however many – or however few - we have received. As St. Gregory says, whoever, “has not charity, loses even those things which he seems to have received” (Catena aurea, vol.1, pg. 696, 2014).
The Parable of the Talents helps us to remember that we need to put our virtues and abilities to work for God’s glory, and the advancement of the Kingdom of God. Our Lord will return, and ask us how we used His talents and gifts. He wants to be able to say to each of us, “Well done.” Let us ask Mary, the Mother of God, to help us use our talents well – in service of God and our neighbour.
(Fr. Paweł Ratajczak, OMI, Nov. 19, 2023)