We have the parable of the talents for our reflection from the gospel. The master called his servants before a journey, and entrusted to them, five talents, two talents and one, to each one according to his abilities. The ones who had received five and two traded and made five more and two more with their trades, but the one who received the one talent buried it with the fear of losing it. The master ordered to take the talent from him and give to the one had ten.
The first two servants “went off at once and traded” with their talents and doubled them and they received compliments from the master “Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master” (Matthew 25:21, 23). The third servant, on the other hand, digs a hole in the ground and buries his one talent. Why does he do that? Because he is afraid that he is going to lose it if he trades with it. The one talent slave is indicted not because he didn’t earn money for his master or wasted his master’s money but because he was selfish and lazy. His time, comfort, and needs were more important. He couldn’t be bothered by the work of his master. Thus, rather than spending his life, using the talent entrusted to his care for the good of his master he buried his talent and in so doing buried himself. What counts is whether or not we invest ourselves in God’s kingdom .When we invest in God, and with God we are investing in a mutual fund which will bear much fruit in all time and due seasons. God expects us to try to develop the good things we have so that as we flourish, the world around us can benefit from them, and we can add to the good things that God’s world needs. All things are difficult before they are easy.
Do you know a woman who loves to sing but who would not join the choir because she is afraid she is not gifted with a golden voice? Do you know a young man who would like to spread the gospel but is afraid he does not know enough Bible and theology? When people like this end up doing nothing, they are following in the footsteps of the third servant who buried his one talent in the ground. The parable of the talents teaches us to invest with our lives. The talents are abilities, resources, skills or opportunities and all of the things that God has given, including spiritual gifts. It includes everything that God has entrusted to one, like family, children and job. We must take risks in life. If we don’t, we are wicked and lazy. Doing nothing is inexcusable it’s wrong to bury what God gives. Always fear can keep oneself away from developing one’s talents; like the fear of failure, fear of what others think and view about oneself.
The parable draws home the following truths: Everything I have belongs to God. God has given me some talents and God expects me to use those talents. Someday He’s going to ask me, “What did you do with what you were given?” It is wrong to bury what God has given me. Fear keeps me from using my talent, if I don’t use it, I’ll lose it, and If I use it wisely, I’ll be rewarded.
“Since temptation has a remarkable power over us when it finds us idle, let us work and not grow weary, for we do not wish to lose the eternal rest which has been prepared for us as a reward for our labor.” St. Francis de Sales