Nov. 16, 2011 - PARABLE OF TALENTS & COINS

The Gospel today is on Luke 19: 11-28 which is about a nobleman who gave his servants gold coins for use. He gave each of his servants a single gold coin. This parable is related to last Sunday's Gospel of Matthew 25: 14-30 where a master gave his slave 5 talents, another one, 2 talents and a third slave, 1 talent; each according to his ability.

In Hebrew culture at that time, a talent was a monetary measure equivalent to 6,000 denarii. Since a laborer receives 1 denarius wage for a day's work, it would take him 20 years' to earn one (1) talent.

In the parables, the main message is to respond to God's grace (gifts) by making a genuine effort throughout our lives. All of God's gifts must produce fruits - yield a profit. It does not matter how many gifts we have received. What matters is our generosity in putting them to good use. The punishment for infidelity through neglect ( sin of omission ) is the same as for lack of repentance. The first and second slaves made sizeable profits from the talents / coins entrusted to them. The third slave hid the talent/ coin for fear of the master who he knew was a strict man who "gathered which he did not sow." Fear paralyses. It brings about spiritual blindness and deafness. It stifles creativity. The third slave did not make use of the talent/ gold coin and was sent to " a place where there was gnashing and grinding of teeth." Do you know where this place is?

A parable is an earthly story with a heavenly message. The parables of the talents and coins show a few salient points for us to ponder:

1. Each of us received gifts from God. The gifts vary in number, form and quality according to God's purpose. A person may have one unique gift while another may have several abilities. We are bound to respond to make a genuine effort to use these gifts for the greater good of God's kingdom. Of course, the first ones to benefit from our gifts should be the ones closest to us - our family. The fulfillment of our responsibilities to our family should be our top priority. The willful neglect to use these gifts is a sin- the Sin of Omission. Very often the sin of omission happens because of the predominant self-centeredness within some individuals and in others, the gnawing narcissitic tendencies developed from childhood of abandoned discipline. In the Confiteor at Mass, we say, " I confess, O Almighty God that I have sinned , through my fault, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do."

2. Diligence is rewarded and negligence is punished. In the parables, the nobleman/master praised and rewarded the servants who made use of their talents/coins and the one who just hid what was entrusted to him was severely punished. When we come before the tribunal of God on Judgment Day, He will make us accountable for what we did with our gifts. Have we been faithful in our use of our gifts? Sin displeases God So, the sin of omission will receive God's justice.

3. Whatever we have, our abilities, gifts, opportunities, etc. belong to God. We are merely "stewards." Hence, everything we do should be done with a view of the "day of reckoning" which will surely come.