READING: “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. “After a long time, the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So, I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So, you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned, I would have received it back with interest. ‘So, take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
REFLECTION: As followers of Christ, we must be prepared well for the second coming of Christ. We are in the Advent preparation and fast approaching Christmas season, in which we commemorate the first coming of Christ. But our preparation should not be limited to it or end there. Our Lord narrates to His disciple the parable of a man who goes on a journey, entrusting his wealth to his slaves. Let us consider this parable and see that the man who goes on a journey is Christ and the slaves are his disciples. Going for journey refers to the Death, Resurrection and Ascension of our Lord and His wealth entrusting to the care of his followers.
The wealth in the parable is not purely about money but about spiritual gifts. The spiritual gifts were bestowed on each one of us are based on our ability and are different gifts. Some seem to receive more and others less. It is very clear from the text that the distribution is unequal so that we each receive what we need from others. God wants us to share the grace that is given to us some way to the other. We must be prudent and wise to invest it in one another to bear more fruit for God’s kingdom. So that we may be worthy to enter into our Master’s joy along with my brother and sister in whom I had invested God given grace..
PRAYER: O God you are a generous giver and entrust your spiritual gifts with your children. The parable reminds us that what is given freely is not for us to keep it but to share with others and bear much fruit for the Kingdom of God. Grant us good will and a generous heart to find time to spend ourselves for the good of others..
CONTEMPLATION: Let us look into ourselves and see what are my spiritual gifts that God has given and how am I careful in sharing them with my fellow brethren. Let us sit beside our Master and introspect oneself to what category of slaves of the parable do I belong: the first slave who was wise, generous and selfless or the third slave who focused on future but deprived of the present moment and its gifts.
ACTION: Let us be faithful in small matters so that one day we may enter into God’s unending joy along with our brothers and sisters.
