We have all received many gifts from God, both supernatural and natural, granted with the intention of enabling us to fulfill our specific vocation. According to the use we make of them, we will be good and faithful servants or… wicked and slothful ones.
Gospel – 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
The parable of the talents
14 “‘For it will be as when a man going into a far country called his servants and entrusted to them his property; 15 to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.
16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more. 17 So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.’
22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow; 25 I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.
28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth’” (Mt 25:14-30).
I – The Sin of Omission
When we fall into the misfortune of violating the Law of God in thought, word or deed, we are customarily rebuked by our conscience at once. Just like the child who blushes when shown the wrong he has done, synderesis immediately shows our reason the moral principle transgressed, prompting us to repentance.
However, with the sin of omission, this interior process does not take place so distinctly and efficiently. It is therefore easier to perceive the malice of a concrete action than the responsibility for negligence—at times grave and prolonged—of the duties proper to our state, position, social standing or function. In examining our conscience, we frequently consider only the necessity of avoiding evil, forgetting the imperative of doing good.
The Gospel provided by the Liturgy for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time alerts us to this type of sin—which although less grave than those of transgression,1 are points of obscurity in our spiritual life because they easily pass unnoticed. This Gospel presents a famous parable which is also rich in meaning, as we will see.
II – A Man Distributes His Goods
14 “‘For it will be as when a man going into a far country…’”
In Our Lord’s time, the current methods of transportation did not exist. Journeying into a far country was a prolonged procedure, calculated in months, or even years, rather than in hours, like today. Therefore, the protagonist of the parable would have been absent for a long time.
Who was he?
Scholars unite in identifying him as Jesus, who left this earth for heaven to take possession of his Throne: “This man, father of a family is without doubt Christ,”2 St. Jerome affirms. St. Gregory the Great adds: “Who is this man that undertakes a journey, if not our Redeemer, who ascended to heaven with the same flesh that He had assumed?”3
God gives us goods of immense value
14 “Called his servants and entrusted to them his property.”
With these words, the parable clearly shows that the goods he distributed before his trip were his. Therefore, those who received them were not to use them arbitrarily, but to administer them in their owner’s interests.
Fillion highlights that they were not paid employees, but men in servitude, who were “strictly obliged as such to care for the interests of their patron.”4 To emphasize this important aspect of the parable, the famous exegete recalls the strong possessive sense of the Greek expression “ìδίους δούλους”, translated by St. Jerome in the Vulgate as “his servants.”5
They represent all Christians, revealing our dependence on the Creator. We are God’s servants, and even the highest of all creatures, the Blessed Virgin can rightly say: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord” (Lk 1:38).
In this regard St. Alphonsus Liguori comments: “Of all the goods we have received from God—whether of nature, fortune or grace—none of them belong to us as property, and we therefore cannot dispose of them as we please, since we are only their administrators. Therefore, we are obliged to use them according to the will of God, sovereign Lord of all things. For the same reason, on the day of our death, we will have to render strict accounts to the Judge, Jesus Christ.”6
15 “To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.”
The talent (τάλαντον) was a weight measure used in Antiquity. Originating in Babylon and widespread in the Middle East in the three centuries prior to Our Lord, it was equivalent to the quantity of water required to fill an amphora. However, its value varied considerably according to time and place: from the almost sixty kilograms of the heavy Babylonian talent to the twenty-six of the Attic talent.
The latter also constituted a monetary unit equivalent to six thousand silver drachmas. Therefore although the quantity confided to each servant cannot be precisely determined—nor is this relevant to our commentary—we can estimate that they received respectively 130, 52, and 26 kilograms of silver to administer.
This is of key significance, since it aims at symbolizing the high value of the gifts and qualities granted to each one of us, to be properly used during our lifetime.
Different attitudes in receiving the sum
16 “He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more.”
The Gospel text states that the first servant “went at once.” His attitude shows how important it is to lose no time in fulfilling our entrusted mission. Actions related to God’s glory do not allow for stoppages or delays: it is necessary to be on the constant lookout to obtain returns from the talents received.
This servant “traded with them” and obtained a one hundred per cent gain for his master. Therefore, when we use God’s gifts for his greater glory and the growth of his kingdom, He makes them grow. Clearly our gifts are capable of increasing in quantity and quality.
17 “So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more.”
The same occurred with the second servant: acting just as the first, he doubled the quantity received.
18 “But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money.”
The third, on the other hand, did not consider using the single talent to the patron’s benefit, but thought only of returning to him exactly what he had received. Being solely motivated by personal benefit, he did not want to work to produce goods that would not belong to him.
“To each according to his ability”
Before proceeding to the second part of the parable, let us recall that no one was created by chance. On the contrary, God, in his infinite wisdom, has a specific plan for each person; every individual can consider himself as an only child of God.
In other words, each human being is unique, which makes his calling and mission exclusive. In distributing his gifts, God gives more to some and less to others, “not from mere liberality or out of stinginess,”7 but according to the capacity of those who receive them and in relation to their respective vocation.
Therefore, each one of us has, in his own measure, natural and supernatural gifts to develop. We should use these for our benefit and that of others, but always seeking the Creator’s glory and the salvation of souls.
“Let us contribute alike wealth, and diligence, and ability to direct, and all things for our neighbour’s advantage. For the talents here are each person’s ability, whether in the way of protection, or in money, or in teaching, or in what thing soever of the kind. Let no man say, I have but one talent, and can do nothing; for you can even by one approve yourself” — St. John Chrysostom teaches.8
III – The Moment of Rendering Accounts
19 “Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.”
The Gospel text emphasizes that the patron returned “after a long time,” thus underscoring the eschatological character of the parable. The expression “settled accounts” signifies the particular Judgement, followed by the final Judgement, during which Our Lord will require reimbursement for the talents and gifts that He granted us throughout our earthly life.
“Enter into the joy of your master”
20 “And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’”
The first of the servants to settle accounts with the patron presents him with a maximum return because, as was seen, he diligently worked at increasing the capital received. The response of his patron matches his dedication.
21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.’”
He calls him “servant”, recalling our contingency and absolute dependence on God: “Without Me, you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). However, he qualifies this by calling him “good and faithful”, since he acted without egoism in seeking the greatest gain for his master.
It is somewhat surprising that the patron praises him for having been “faithful over a little,” when he entrusted him five talents of silver—a veritable fortune. However, this is clarified in applying the parable to the supernatural life: what we receive on earth is insignificant compared to what will be ours in heaven.
The promise “I will set you over much,” can be understood to be the participation of men in the government of the universe, from heaven. St. Ambrose affirms: “In the same way that the angels govern, thus will those who merit the life of the angels also govern.”9 And regarding recourse to intermediaries in divine action, St. Thomas teaches: “Now it is a greater perfection for a thing to be good in itself and also the cause of goodness in others. […] Therefore God so governs things that He makes some of them to be causes of others in government.”10
St. John of Avila—whom His Holiness Benedict XVI has announced his intention of soon proclaiming a Doctor of the Church—comments on the expression “enter into the joy of your master”: “What joy? The same as God’s. He says: ‘Be joyful, faithful servant of God; enter into the joy of your master,’ enjoy what He enjoys, live as He lives, be one with Him in spirit and be God by participation.”11
Participating in the boundless happiness of the Blessed Trinity, seeing God face to face and loving Him as He loves Himself—respecting due proportions—is the reward reserved for those who produce fruits from talents received.
22 “And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.’”
The same happens with the servant who was equally diligent with the goods, albeit fewer, that were given to him to administer; for God rewards every person according to his use of the gifts received.
Lamentable situation of the unfaithful servant
24 “He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow; 25 I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’”
The situation of the third servant is lamentable! When the time comes to settle accounts, he realizes that he was moved by egoism and a lack of zeal. Instead of using the gifts for God’s glory and the salvation of souls, he considered only his own convenience.
When God grants us specific qualities, He wants us to use them to benefit others, as St. Peter cautions: “As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Pet 4:10). For the Law is summed up in loving God, and one’s neighbour as oneself. Since good is eminently diffusive, the negligent servant should have exclaimed with St. Paul: “Woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel!” (1 Cor 9:16).
Regarding this responsibility, a contemporary moralist explains: “The Christian ceases to be faithful, not only to the measure in which he renounces his faith, but also to the measure in which he fails to make an effort to have it bear fruits. […] It is a law, not of ‘morality’, but of life. […] All fruitfulness implies a departure from within oneself, a departure that involves risk and giving of oneself.”12
In summary, St. Augustine affirms: “And the whole wickedness of that servant who was reprobate and severely condemned, was that he […] kept the entire sum he had received; but the Lord looked for profit from it. God is covetous with regard to our salvation.”13
“Hell” – Cathedral Basilica of St. George, Ferrara (Italy)
Fear and revolt in being discovered
Having witnessed the good example of the two servants previously called, he who had received one talent was surely aware of his wrongdoing. He could have acknowledged his fault and asked for pardon, but the parable, as we have seen, represents the Judgement, when the time for producing fruits from the talents received has come to an end. “Qualis vita, finis ita”: the person will be judged by what he did and what he failed to do.
Earlier, when he should have been working for his master, the servant had deluded himself, imagining that he would not return; or perhaps that it would be possible to devise an excuse when the time came to settle accounts, or some such rationalization to justify his indolence. Now, faced with his inability to hide his negligence, he is “afraid”.
Instead of acknowledging his error, he revolts against the patron, accusing him of injustice: “Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow.” This is the inevitable result, when a person, through his own fault, fails to make good use of the talents entrusted to him: he seeks false reasons to justify his evil, since the human being is a monolith of logic.14
The aforementioned moralist affirms that in such cases, Providence is blamed for “injustice in the world; the responsibility for this evil is imputed to the Most High, whereas in reality, it is man’s inefficacy that has engendered such misery in irreverently rising up against God’s plan.”15
Foolhardy insolence, for God has intimate knowledge of our hearts. It is useless to rationalize with God; he will not be deceived at the Judgement. The sinner’s life will be presented without justifications, just as it unfolded before the eyes of Him to whom was due the fruits of the talents received. This is demonstrated in the following verses.
Rebuked with his own words
26 “But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.’”
The patron’s response is emphatic! In addition to reprimanding the servant’s slothfulness, he returns the sophistic pretext offered.
If, indeed, the servant was aware of the presumed harshness of the patron, why did he not act accordingly, at least earning the profit of interest from the bankers? In other words, if he had put his gift at the disposal of others, he would have obtained some gain.
St. Gregory the Great comments: “The servant is reprimanded with his own words, when the master says to him: ‘I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed.’ This is as if he had said: ‘If, in your opinion, I demand what I have not given, with much greater reason I would demand of you what I entrusted to you to obtain profit.’”16
New benefits for those who proceed well
28 “So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.’”
This first part of the verdict pronounced by the patron is surprising: take the talent from the unfaithful servant and give it to him who had ten.
The gifts that God bestows upon us, even the natural ones, if not properly put to use, are prone to diminishment. We see an image of this in the human organism: when a fractured member is immobilized, its muscles become flaccid. So also, moral or intellectual qualities that are left unused weaken and tend to fade away.
Thus St. Jerome affirms: “Many also who are naturally clever and have sharp wit, if they become neglectful, and by disuse spoil that good they have by nature […] lose their natural gift, and see the reward promised them pass away to others.”17
The negligence of the “wicked and slothful servant” will be transformed into new benefits for those who make good use of their talents. Neglected gifts will be reallocated to those who are more generous. This is a beautiful aspect of this parable: God gathers up what is rejected or improperly used, and gives it to others, so that it will bear fruit.
This principle, which can be observed with material or spiritual goods, is even more in force regarding supernatural realities: in face of egoism, God withdraws his graces and the soul becomes barren.
Eternal condemnation of the worthless servant
30 “And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.”
The final and sad consequence of sin: stripped of his talent, the “worthless servant” is condemned to hell, where he will serve not his patron, but Satan.
How can neglecting to make use of talents received merit a chastisement of this magnitude?
It is because “sins of omission, which often accompany a morally ‘honourable’ life, are directly opposed to the biblical plan regarding man, since God has entrusted the perfection of his work to him—that of continuing and completing it.”18
The objective of the parable is precisely to vividly and attractively show our obligation to use the gifts that God has granted us for his glory and the salvation of souls. It also reveals the chastisement destined for those who do not proceed in this way.
St. Gregory the Great cautions: “Whoever has not charity, loses even those things which he seems to have received and, according to God’s own words, is cast into the outer darkness.”19
IV – Advance Always!
This Sunday’s Liturgy repeats an essential truth: progress in the spiritual life is not an option, but an obligation; in order to yield fruits, we must give back to God much more than He entrusted to us. Responsibility is even more pressing since He assists us at each step with his grace, helping us to completely fulfill this mission.
Our gratitude should be proportional; therefore, it should be greater in relation to supernatural gifts, since the graces we have received are incalculable! Just one Communion, for example, is in itself sufficient to justify the entire life of a man. A person could spend his whole life preparing to receive Our Lord in the Sacrament, and after, in thanksgiving, say to Him: “‘Nunc dimittis servum tuum’ (Lk 2:29). Let thy servant depart in peace, because I have received Jesus Christ Himself in Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity in the Eucharistic Species. The Light that came to enlighten the nations has entered into my soul, assuming and sanctifying it.” However, the Holy Eucharist is continuously at our disposal, to shower us with extraordinary spiritual favours…
All of us have abilities and gifts, and the consequent obligation to develop them for the good of our neighbour, to evangelize those around us, so that they may also participate in these benefits we have gratuitously received from God. Acting otherwise would mean taking the sad path of the third servant.
Therefore we must sacrifice our personal interests and seek the good of others, never placing ourselves as the centre of attention. Everything should be focused solely on God, to whom everything belongs.
In reality, the true Master, who will demand an account of us on the day of Judgement, did not “travel to a far country,” but is always among us, accompanying us at each step on the journey to eternity, helping us in all our needs.
Therefore, if our conscience pricks us while meditating on this parable, let us remember that a figure is missing: the Mother of the Master. She is always at our side, accompanying us and pleading on our behalf before her Divine Son. Let us ask this affectionate Mother to obtain for us—whatever our state may be—an irresistible cascade of graces, so that we will make the greatest possible use of all talents received. ◊
Notes
1 Cf. ST. THOMAS AQUINAS. Summa Theologica, II-II, q.79, a.4, Resp.
2 ST. JEROME. Commentariorum in Evangelium Matthæi, l.4.
3 ST. GREGORY THE GREAT. Homiliarum in Evangelia. l.1, h.9, c.1.
4 FILLION, Louis-Claude. La Sainte Bible commentée. Paris: Letouzey et Ané, 1912, t.VII, p.164.
5 Cf. Idem, ibidem.
6 ST. ALPHONUS MARIA LIGUORI. Obras Ascéticas. Madrid: BAC, 1956, v.II, p.642.
7 ST. JEROME, op. cit., ibidem.
8 ST. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM. Homily 78, c.2. In: Homilias sobre el Evangelio de San Mateo. Madrid: BAC, 1956, v.II, p.558-559.
9 ST. AMBROSE. Expositio Evangelii Secundum Lucam. l.VIII, c.96.
10 ST. THOMAS AQUINAS. Summa Theologica, I, q.103, a.6, Resp.
11 ST. JOHN OF AVILA. Obras Completas. Madrid: BAC, 1953, v.II, p.289.
12 FERNÁNDEZ, Aurelio. Teologia Moral. Burgos: Aldecoa, 1992, v.I, p.249.
13 ST. AUGUSTINE. Sermon 44.
14 “Every sin presupposes a great error in understanding, without which it would be psychologically impossible. […] It is psychologically impossible for man that the human will desire the possession of an object if this is not presented to the understanding as a good” (ROYO MARÍN, OP, Antonio.
Teologia moral para seglares.
7.ed. Madrid: BAC, 1996,
v.I, p.232).
15 FERNÁNDEZ, op. cit., p.250.
16 ST. GREGORY THE GREAT, op. cit., c.3.
17 ST. JEROME, op. cit., p.363.
18 FERNÁNDEZ, op. cit., p.250.
19 ST. GREGORY THE GREAT, op. cit., c.6.
