Daily Scripture Reflection & Prayer: November 19, 2023

Date in the Ordine: 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

Scripture Text: Matthew 25:14-30

Jesus told his disciples this parable: "A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one, he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one--to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two. But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master's money. "After a long time, the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. The 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.' His 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.' Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said, 'Master, you gave me two talents. See, I have made two more.' His 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.'

Then 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; so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.' His 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? Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return? Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. For 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. And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'"

Breaking the text open – background and summary:

The gospel reading for today from the Gospel of Matthew presents Jesus’ familiar parable of the talents. Three men are given different amounts of “talents.” The two with the larger amount, invest their talents and their talents grow. The third, the one with the smallest amount of “talent” buries his and gets no return, no growth. Jesus sums up the parable with the words, “For 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.”

Before we judge this unjust, which we know Jesus never is nor ever teaches us to be, we need to ask ourselves if this is similar to other teachings or parables that when held side by side inform each other. And it does. If we set this beside the parable of the sower and the seed (Mt 13:1-23), each informs the others; each makes the other clearer. Whereas the two who “grow” their “talents” are like the seed that fall on good ground, producing 30, 60 or a hundred-fold, the one with the least amount produces nothing, like the seed which fell upon the wayside and never produced roots, never grew at all.

The LORD gives us our lives and gifts of time and talent. It is our responsibility, in faith, with hope, to lovingly use them and allow them to produce goodness that will glorify our LORD. But to the one without faith, without hope, without love, to the one only with fear and thought of self, there is no growth, there is no goodness produced, there is no glory given to the LORD. Without faith, hope and love as guides and motivation, one produces nothing and risks losing even that which was given to him – his life.

Meditating on the text with personal questions:

How am I using the life, time and talents given to me by the LORD? What are my guides and motivations?

Praying:

LORD, Almighty Father, we come to You this day and all days in awe of You and in gratitude for all that You have given to us, most especially the gift of your beloved Son as our redeemer. Send your Spirit to stir within us and to grow our faith, to bolster our hope, and to increase our love so that our lives might give You glory. Grant that we may become true disciples of your beloved Son, and that through our lives we might Him to others and others to Him. We ask this in the name of your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with You and the Spirit, one LORD, forever and ever. Amen.