This parable introduces us to a period that goes from the ascension of Jesus until his return at the Last Judgment.

 

This parable introduces us to a period that goes from the ascension of Jesus until his return at the Last Judgment. Other authors usually speak of the period between the ascension and the judgment of Jerusalem in the year 70, with the fall of the Temple, carried out by General Titus of the Roman army. The fact is that Jesus is “absent” for a long time, and may return unexpectedly, to settle accounts for the talents (gifts) granted to his people. A talent is a measure of weight, not exactly a coin. It indicated an amphora of 26 kg of water. 5 talents are an enormous sum. The one who receives an X amount of talents is precisely the one who can accomplish only that amount. His qualities must be at the service of such commitment. Talents indicate the salvific gift of God, which must be linked to the qualities of those who receive this same gift, for the fulfillment of God's will. It can be added that talents allow the possibility of a life in accordance with the Kingdom of God, His Word, the Faith, and the sacraments.

The parable focuses on the one who received only one talent. It is with him that Jesus speaks. The others appear as supporting actors. What happened? That man with only one talent did not want to lose it. That is why he buries it. Here we are referring to the Jewish leadership. It is as if he wanted to live the Law for the sake of the Law, which offers him peace of mind in the face of God’s will for perfection. Here we have a closure to the Messiah, Christ Jesus. In this case, the text wants to emphasize the inability of the leaders who oppose the Messiah Jesus of Nazareth to open up to God’s will. Since the goal is salvation through the Son of God made flesh, closing oneself off to Him means rejecting God. Consequently, the only result can be condemnation. Attached to themselves and the world, these leaders lived the logic of fear of the risk of launching themselves into God’s newness beyond what they knew, to a level unknown to them, even if it was fullness. The fear of taking risks can kill a person, tame him before the benefits of the world and make him indifferent to the things of God. This is the kind of person who has no faith or trust, is discouraged by the will of the Lord, lacks diligence and only seeks to live in comfort, like a creeper, at the expense of his parents or grandparents, or even at the mercy of whoever supports him in exchange for nebulous favors. The logic of Jesus Christ is different. Just as in the business world one cannot profit without risks, the same is true with the multiplication of God's gifts. It is up to each person who has encountered Christ to dedicate themselves completely to the cause of the kingdom of God, making their life a true gift and, furthermore, using the gifts they have to do good and bring the message of salvation to all. One cannot be a disciple of Jesus Christ who only wants to live in the comfort of the law, thinking only of protecting his own life. It is necessary to go out into the whole world, to take great risks in the middle of the world, without fearing temptations or persecution. There are no perfect men and women, but only limited, weak people, but full of God's grace, driven by the Holy Spirit, to take the Gospel to the whole world. This is one of the most advanced teachings of all time from an economic point of view. In fact, it can be said that it was responsible for changing the social structure of the Greek world, by the very fact of placing those at the top at the service of the greater good, participating with everyone in the same struggles and objectives. In this way of thinking, no one is a slave to anyone else, but everyone is at the service of everyone else. There are no lesser or more imperfect people, but human beings in the daily struggle and everyone is responsible for everyone else. Do not forget that “to whom more is given, more will be required”. All talents are to be used, multiplied, transmitted. The position, mission, or vocation does not matter: everything must be applied, according to the logic of service, for the good of all. This parable is reminiscent of a judgment scene. It makes us reflect on what we have been able to do and what we should do from now on. What have we done with God’s goods? What can we still do? Will we take risks? Do we fear the world? Do we love the Lord or are we afraid of Him? What have we done and what will we do with the gift that we are and with the gifts that we have? It is important to note, first of all, that the first talent is each one of us. God created us as authentic gifts, men and women created in His image and likeness to say yes to Him and His work, acting for the transformation of the world according to His will. Then, God Himself granted us other talents, abilities, and gifts so that we could carry out the mission we received with dignity, holiness, and the production of fruits that He expected. How should we act then? Let us remember the sower: he is aware of his mission, has seeds in abundance, trusts God absolutely, truly believes, and, without worry, goes out throwing seeds everywhere, on all types of soil.