The Parable of the Talents

Today's Reflections 

The Parable of the Talents

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Mt 25:14-30

[Jesus told his disciples this parable,] ¹⁴“It will be as when a man who was going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. ¹⁵To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one—to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately ¹⁶the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. ¹⁷Likewise, the one who received two made another two. ¹⁸But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money… ²⁰The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five. He said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I have made five more.’ ²¹His 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.’… ²⁴Then 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; ²⁵so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.’ ²⁶His master said to him in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter? ²⁷Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return? ²⁸Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. ²⁹For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’ ”

Reflection:

To one he gave five talents. In the parable, the master considers his servants dependable and competent enough to handle responsibility, so he distributes money according to their respective skills and abilities.

The first two servants prove to be reliable, resourceful, responsible, and willing to take the risk to invest, for they value what is entrusted to them. The third servant, instead, squanders the opportunity to do something with his talent. For God it does not matter how much talent one has; what is important is how one uses one’s God-given talent for the sake of the kingdom.

Are we using our God-given talents

for God’s glory, for God’s purpose,

and for the service of our community?