Today we have available to us the same parable as we heard or read from this past Sunday, though with a twist. The Parable of the Talents on Sunday was from Matthew 25:14-30 and today’s Parable of the Ten Gold Coins is from Luke 19:11-28. A key difference is that in Matthew’s account, we do not know why or where the master goes after entrusting three of his servants with talents; five, two, and one respectively. In Luke’s account the man is a noble and he “went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return” (Lk 19:12). He called ten servants to invest a gold coin he gave each of them. The theme is the similar in both accounts in that when the man returns, two of the servants have invested well and brought about a greater return on their investment for their master, and one hid what he was given out of fear.
Another added feature in the Lukan account was that there were fellow citizens of the nobleman that did not want the man to be king and openly opposed him. The nobleman after attaining his kingship and returning successfully, dealt harshly, to say the least with his opposers, having them slain. Those listening to the parable would understand this outcome, as it was not uncommon in the ancient Near East for a ruler to slay those who would oppose his rise.
The readings over this week continue in this vein of eschatological talk, references to the second coming of Jesus because we are in the final two weeks of the liturgical year. Each of the readings present us with the reality that there will be a judgment by God, but what Jesus makes clear is that we are not the judge and jury, though many appropriate that role for themselves. We are only accountable to the talent or gold coin we have been entrusted with. As I mentioned on Sunday, we’ve got talent. But we can’t just sit on it.
There is much we are called by the Lord to do in helping to be a part of building up the kingdom of God in our midst. Doubts, fears, and anxieties will arise in our hearts and minds. We may say to ourselves, “I don’t even know where to begin.” One place to begin is in prayer with the one who calls us to this work of encounter, solidarity, and accompaniment. How we respond will be different for each one of us. We have been given unique gifts. May we ask God for his guidance regarding how best we can serve him, and may we seek the love of the Holy Spirit this day, that in the words of Pope Francis we may: “Have the courage to go against the tide of this culture of efficiency, this culture of waste. Encountering and welcoming everyone, [building] solidarity – a word that is being hidden by this culture, as if it were a bad word – solidarity and fraternity: these are what make our society truly human” (Pope Francis 2014, 61). Italics and bold mine.
Photo: Pond at St Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary
Francis, Pope. The Church of Mercy: A Vision For the Church. Chicago: Loyola Press, 2014.
Spiritual Stepping Stones