Reflections
November 15, 2011
Luke 19:11-28
While [people] were listening to [Jesus] speak, He proceeded to tell a
parable because He was near Jerusalem and they thought that the kingdom
of God would appear there immediately. So He said, “A nobleman went off
to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to
return. He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and
told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’ His fellow
citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to
announce, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.’ But when he returned
after obtaining the kingship, he had the servants called, to whom he
had given the money, to learn what they had gained by trading. The first
came forward and said, ‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional
ones.’ He replied, ‘Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in
this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.’... Then the other
servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it stored
away in a handkerchief, for I was afraid of you, because you are a
demanding person; you take up what you did not lay down and you harvest
what you did not plant.’ He said to him, ‘With your own words I shall
condemn you, you wicked servant. You knew I was a demanding person,
taking up what I did not lay down and harvesting what I did not plant;
why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my return I would have
collected it with interest.’ And to those standing by he said, ‘Take the
gold coin from him and give it to the servant who has ten.’ But they
said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’ ‘I tell you, to everyone who
has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has
will be taken away.’ ”...
After He had said this, He proceeded on His journey up to Jerusalem.
Reflection:
Parable. Where does Jesus get his stories? Scholars say that today’s
parable has some references to a real historical figure. Jesus must have
so many sayings and stories that Luke sometimes gets confused trying to
tie them all together. These stories can only come from an observant
person, woven by a man who loves people, relates with persons, and is
involved in their dramas and experiences. Jesus encounters many people,
and every moment becomes a storyline for the next parable.
Life is rich with stories and parables if we but live it to the full.
Read yourself a good story tonight or watch a good movie.
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