The Parable of the Ten Gold Coins

Today's Reflections

The Parable of the Ten Gold Coins 

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Lk 19:11-28

¹¹While [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. ¹²So he said, “A nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return. ¹³He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them, ‘Engage in trade with these until I return.’ ¹⁴His fellow citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to announce, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.’ ¹⁵But 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. ¹⁶The first came forward and said, ‘Sir, your gold coin has earned ten additional ones.’ ¹⁷He replied, ‘Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities.’... ²⁰Then the other servant came and said, ‘Sir, here is your gold coin; I kept it stored away in a handkerchief, ²¹for 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.’ ²²He 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; ²³why did you not put my money in a bank? Then on my return I would have collected it with interest.’ ²⁴And to those standing by he said, ‘Take the gold coin from him and give it to the servant who has ten.’ ²⁵But they said to him, ‘Sir, he has ten gold coins.’ ²⁶‘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.’ ”...

²⁸After he had said this, he proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem.

Reflection:

Ten gold coins. These are precious treasures that God entrusts to us for our own good, according to our needs and abilities. And we have to use them responsibly and faithfully. We are not supposed to hide or hoard them. We have to develop and use them for God’s glory and for service to our brothers and sisters.

The mistake of the third servant is that he did not try. He did not do anything with his gold coin. He did not take risks. His fear paralyzed him into inaction. He wasted the trust and confidence of the nobleman.

How have we developed the gifts God has given us?

Have we made our gifts a source of blessing for others?