Word to the Wise
Saturday, August 27, 2011 - Saturday in the 21th Week in Ordinary Time
[1 Thess 4:9-11 and Matt 25:14-30,1054]Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities.......
The story of the "talents" begins with an interesting small comment that often escapes attention. The master gives each of the three servants a sum of money "to each according to his ability." The outcome of the story might be hidden there. The man who got the least amount of money was the one who seemed less able in the eyes of the master. One wonders what each of the three did to earn their varying degrees of trust! However, the story is not about the relative abilities of the three servants, it is about their attitudes! The two servants who received more than one talent were not afraid to risk it ALL. They didn't "hedge" their situation by investing half and holding half back! They risked it all! The servant who received only one was afraid and buried the talent in the ground.
The Gospel of Matthew continually presents us with Jesus' demand that we put everything at stake for the kingdom and not to "hedge" our gift. What matters is not what we have received. What matters is that whatever we have received we should be willing to give for the sake of the kingdom. It is that willingness to "risk all" that brings the great reward. If we are afraid and do not trust the master, we are ironically risking all because it will be taken from us. The kingdom is not the stock market! AMEN