We have reached the penultimate Sunday of the liturgical year. In today’s Gospel, the Lord invites us to reflect once again on the wisdom of living in the time of the end, and he does so by another parable, as beautiful and profound as that of the ten virgins last week: the parable of the talents.
Our parable follows the parable of the wise/foolish virgins and is in the midst of the end-time teachings: first there is the so-called eschatological discourse in Mt 24, and then there is the parable of the Last Judgment, which speaks of the same theme of final retribution at Christ’s return (Mt 25:31-46). Thus the eschatological-sapiential perspective of Jesus’ teaching in the proposed parable becomes clear, insisting on the wisdom of life that every servant must have for the time of the end, when the “Master” returns.
In this regard, it should be noted that in the biblical-Jewish tradition, wisdom also consists of prudence and practical skill in managing one’s possessions and enriching oneself, as we have seen in the beautiful poem of the “worthy” and therefore wise woman (cf. Pr 31:10-31; first reading), especially: “Her husband, entrusting his heart to her, has an unfailing prize” (Pr 31:11). Thus the master of the story rebuked the last servant who had not found a way to make something of the “talent” entrusted to him: “Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return?” (Mt 25:27).
From this sapiential perspective, we can better understand the “merits” or “demerits” of the servants to whom the master has generously and wisely entrusted a portion of his property, “according to his ability.” These given “talents” are indeed a great free gift (each talent is worth 10,000 denarii, about half a million today), but they require a responsible and wise use by each servant. This is the commitment that comes almost naturally from gratitude for the trust the Master has placed in each of his servants.
The first two servants, who received five and two talents, respectively, and earned the same amount of money, were praised by the master as “good and faithful” and were allowed to enter the master’s joy. The last servant, on the other hand, was rebuked as a “wicked, lazy servant.” His drama is that he does not believe in the goodness of his master. This is the attitude that breeds doubt, suspicion, fear, and ultimately a completely distorted view of the Master’s person, as expressed in the servant’s own words, “Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter.” Such a view has paralyzed the servant and thus leads him not to freely engage in making the gift received bear fruit. In fact, if one does not believe this, any excuse will be good to do nothing, to remain lazy in everything.
In this regard, for further study, it should be noted that the lazy person is often denounced in the biblical-Judeo sapiential tradition with the very “colorful” ironic texts such as:
Pr 19:24: The sluggard buries a hand in the dish; not even lifting it to the mouth.
Pr 22:13: The sluggard says, “A lion is outside; I might be slain in the street.” (So he will never leave home!)
Hence:
Pr 10:26: As vinegar to the teeth, and smoke to the eyes, are sluggards to those who send them.
And so it is recommended to this guy:
Pr 6:6: Go to the ant, O sluggard, study her ways and learn wisdom.
In the light of these texts, laziness is a particular expression of human foolishness. Thus, the last servant in the parable, denounced by the master as “wicked and lazy,” actually becomes the image of the foolish man/woman who does not know how to value and thus appreciate the gifts he has received, so as to be able to use them wisely and responsibly for a final accounting at the meeting with the master.
The parable we have analyzed is a clear warning to all the disciples of Christ. They are called to live the time of waiting for the certain return of their Lord, and each of them is entrusted with the various gifts, among which the grace of faith and the knowledge of God stand out. Each one, therefore, is called to live the time of waiting not in a foolish and lazy way, but with wisdom and ingenuity, so that the gift of faith received may grow and bear fruit first in himself and then in others: “Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give” (Mt 10:8b). This is the primary mission of every disciple of Christ who awaits his coming. It is not a question of how great the return will be on the capital received, but rather of recognizing the gifts that the Lord has given us, and then working with them according to one’s ability and with the constant support of the same Lord who, when he sent his own on a mission to all peoples, promised: “Behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age” (Mt 28:20b). So be it. Amen.
About Fr. Nguyen
Fr. Dinh Anh Nhue Nguyen, OFM Conv., is a Conventual Franciscan friar from Vietnam and Secretary General of the Pontifical Missionary Union, one of the four Pontifical Mission Societies. A biblical scholar and former dean of the Pontifical Theological Faculty of St. Bonaventure (Seraphicum) in Rome, he works to form priests, religious and lay people for mission.
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