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STEP63: To Work Is To Trust Oneself

Read The Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-23).

*From The Christian Community Bible Catholic Pastoral Edition

During the time of Jesus, a talent was an amount, thirty kilograms of precious metal, but in this parable when Jesus spoke of the talents he referred to the abilities given by God to each of us. Since then, people came to understand the word "talent" in this sense. 

Good and faithful servant (v. 21) Faithful: it would be better translated: "reliable." We do not find any word of religious vocabulary in this parable.

God sees the way one has used his talents, and the sin is to have kept for self what one has received. What condemnation of a society where it is usual to enjoy and consume what has been received: a better human formation and knowledge inherited from the homeland which should be transmitted to one's descendants, the blessings and benefits of a family where the parents knew how to sacrifice themselves for their children, and perhaps the Word of God to be carried out in order to realize God's great plan for the world. 

I will entrust you with much more. What we achieve on earth is not definitive but only the scaffolding; quite other will be the riches that God will distribute to those who live in him. 

You know that I reap where I have not sown (v. 26). As in Luke 18:1, Jesus is aware of our unavowed defiance towards God and takes us at our word. If we do not aspire to the place that the husband reserves for a wife (25:1), let us try at least not to be useless servants.

There are many opportunities for us to take initiatives, but we often are afraid to put ourselves forward: "I am not the most qualified." What if those who are qualified have not budged? Then, take the talent from him and give it to someone else. 


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