This gosple is called the parable of the talents. For the longest time, this parable caused me great consternation, because it just seemed so unfair. The first two received, vastly different sums of money but received the same reward. But even more, the third received a sum of far less, and then upon returning it, he is punished with the most severe of punishments. It all seems so arbitrary and capricious, and so far from the peaceful and loving teachings of Jesus.
But recently, I read a commentary on this passage by Cornelius of Lepide, which I think helps reveal the truth of this parable. He proposes that the parable is generally about the responsibilities of evangelization, but specifically about the authority of the bishops, and their responsibilities to their parishioners. Each of the talents represented a different responsibility of evangelization.
The 5 talents represent the service and catechesis of the faithful followers of God. These are the people that already believe in God, they are already christian, they need access to mass and the sacraments, and they need to be catechized in order to build up their faith and help create good fruit. You could say that this is the everyday work of our parish priest, our good bishops, and those that work in catechesis of the faithful flock of Christ.
The 2 talents represent the evangelization and the conversion of those outside of the church, into the faith. These are the people that the church needs to reach out to and bring over to the faith. Those that either do not know God, or have fallen away. This is the work of many of our great apologists, and theologians, that have ministries helping those with questions, and doubts about God…, helping them to know and better understand the truth about God, and His divine plan for our lives.
Finally, The one talent represents the “deposit of the Faith”. The “deposit” is what we call the public revelation of Jesus to the apostles, the Word of God that is recorded in the 4 gospels, and in the letters of St. Paul. The gospels include the beautiful teachings of Jesus, and His loving message of mercy and forgiveness. But it also contains the hard sayings of Jesus, and the numerous warnings about what happens if you die outside of the loving friendship of God. In many ways this one talent is more important, and more valuable than anything in the world. Because it reveals the story of salvation, His infinite love for us, and the sacrifice that God made for His people. As Fulton Sheen once said. “He paid a price that He did not owe because we owed a debt that we could not pay” The work of this talent, is to share the deposit of faith with all people, the beautiful promises, and the dire warnings. This is a high call, and I think in some ways, we are all asked to carry this weight. So when put in this context, I think that the masters response at the end of this parable is justified, and not capricious.
I think it is also important to note here that all of these talents were assigned to these servants “according to their ability.” God does not assign talents equally. If He did, then professional sports would be boring, and we would all be able to play Mozart on the piano. But God instead assigns talents according to His will, and His divine plan. The talents you were given, were given to you because God has decided that you are the one to make the most of them, and your favor with the Lord, is directly related to how, and to what extent you have used these talents to expand and build up His kingdom.
Our church father, Cornelius here, is ultimately concluding that bishops (along with all of us lay people) need to invest in all three. We need to build up the faithful, convert the pagans, and also study and teach the word. Not just focus on the warm and fuzy, and exciting endeavors of the church. If Cornelius is right then this is a clear message for our time, because this is exactly what is happening, in the college of bishops, the Vatican, and the “christian” world today. Most have focused all of their attention on outreach to the pagans, and ecumenism with the protestant christians, but have ultimately forgotten to teach the deposit of faith, and in some of our more liberal christian circles, have even tried to bury it, and hide it away from the world. I wonder if all the unfaithful shepherds of the world know this about this interpretation, that Jesus is speaking directly to them. I further wonder…, that if they did know, would they even recognize themselves in it. Probably not, because they would have stop and reflect, and actually see themselves as the 3rd servant, who is called wicked and thrown out into the darkness. Most of our bishops today see themselves as the first or second servant who is serving the faithful, and converting the pagans. But the call here is for us all to serve in each of the three roles, not just one or two. We too must also build up the faithful, and convert the pagan, and we must never forget the word of god. And faithfully study and proclaim it. Or you too maybe thrown out into the darkness.
Now finally, lets talk about the financial calculus of God. Those who have been given much will be asked much of, and will receive more as the Lord needs from them, and those who have nothing, even more will be taken away. In order to understand this you must think of the before and after as related to the end of this world and the entry to the eternal world. In this world for those who have been given much grace in this world, much will be expected of them, and if they do this, then their reward will be great in heaven. For those that ignore or reject the grace of god in this world, that rejection will cost them even more in this world, and they will be sent to eternal punishment.
So this reading today provides us a great warning, and also a great promise. Will you heed the warning, and find comfort in the promise, or will you ignore the warning, and reject the promise. It is your choice, but your eternity depends on the answer.
