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Dear Parish Faithful,
This past Sunday, we heard the Parable of the Talents during the Liturgy (MATT. 25:14-30). The parable has a wide possibility of interpretation, but on the whole the Church Fathers understand the parable as a profound reminder that we will answer to God for how we use the various gifts - "talents" - that have been bestowed on us. (The talent is a monetary denomination in Hebrew, but for us it has a more extended meaning, because of the richness of our English "talent").
Multiplying our talents is an image of using our gifts to the benefit of others as members of the Body of Christ. An indifference to this task, or even a self-centered refusal to share what God has given us is severely condemned in the parable.
Here is an area that we must examine carefully though, because the image of the Master in the parable is a far cry from what we understand from Jesus about the "character" of our heavenly Father. The master of the parable is harsh and quick to judge the third servant. And, the parable itself could be seen to approve of a very capitalistic interpretation wherein the multiplying of our money is seen as a virtue in itself. For this reason, the words of a contemporary New Testament scholar, Brendan Byrne, are essential to bear in mind when studying the parables of Christ:
Once again we have to keep in mind that Jesus took parables from life as he saw it lived, without necessarily commending or reproving the behavior described. He used the way people acted in situations of crisis in everyday life to illustrate - not model - appropriate behavior in view of the kingdom. (Lifting the Burden, p. 189)
In fact, a close reading of the parable could reveal that the third servant misread the character of the master. Be that as it may, I would simply like to share some of the comments of St. John Chrysostom on this parable from one of his numerous homilies on the Gospel According to St. Matthew. St. John is ever the moralist, encouraging his flock to a mode of life that is consistent with the Gospel, regardless of how challenging that may be. St. John also makes an allusion or two based on other parables of Jesus that you will hopefully detect:
Let us, then, listen to these words. As opportunity offers, let us make efforts for our salvation, let us get oil for the lamps, let us make the talent pay: if we hang back and spend our time in idleness here, no one then will pity us there, no matter how many our laments.
The person with soiled garments also condemned himself, and gained nothing; the person with the one talent restored the deposit with which he was entrusted, and he was thus condemned; the virgins made their appeal, came forward and knocked, all to no avail.
Aware of this, therefore, let us contribute money, effort, support and everything for the neighbors' welfare: talents in this case are each person's resources, be it in support, in money, in teaching, in anything at all of this kind. Let no one claim, I have one talent, and I can do nothing: even with one you are capable of measuring up. I mean you are not poorer than that widow, you are not more unlettered than Peter and John, who were simple and unschooled, yet by giving evidence of zeal and doing everything for the common good, they attained to heaven. Nothing, in fact, is so pleasing to God as living for the benefit of all.
For this reason God gave us speech, hands and feet, bodily strength, a mind and understanding, so that we might use them all for our own salvation and the neighbors' benefit.
From Spiritual Gems from the Gospel of Matthew, p. 147-148.
St. John was the master at what we would today call the "application" of the Gospel to our lives.
