Called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them

1Ts 4,9-11; Ps 97; Mt 25,14-30
31 AUGUST

The truth of man is simple to be defined. God created him for Him. He is for him, if he is from him. He is from him if he is from his Word. He is from his Word if he lends it full, perfect and uninterrupted obedience. If he comes out of obedience, he enters death. Whether man believes or does not believe nothing changes. If he believes, he lives. If he does not believe, he dies. The Word of the Lord is immutable in the eternal centuries. For those who do not believe, death is not only in time, it is also for eternity. Either with faith or without faith out of the Word there is no true life. There is only one death that consumes us and makes us fall into eternal death.

The Lord God gave man this order: “You are free to eat from any of the trees of the garden except the tree of knowledge of good and bad. From that tree you shall not eat; the moment you eat from it you are surely doomed to die” (Gen 2,16-17).

The second truth reveals to us that every man is different, different than every other man. Every man is unique and unrepeatable. The uniqueness, the singularity is given to him by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. They too are unique and unrepeatable. The gifts of the Spirit are natural and supernatural. They are given because God wants to achieve a particular end for them.

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit (Cf. 1Cor 12,1-31). Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us exercise them: if prophecy, in proportion to the faith; if ministry, in ministering; if one is a teacher, in teaching; if one exhorts, in exhortation; if one contributes, in generosity; if one is over others, with diligence; if one does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness (Rm 12,4-8).

The parable of Jesus reveals to us that every gift received must be put to good use. We are responsible before the Lord if we omit the fructification of our gifts, which are manifold. Leisure, ignorance, sloth, laziness, indifference, unconcern and every other vice, must never belong to a man. Vice hinders the fruits, virtue favours them.

“It will be as when a man who was going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one – to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two. But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money. After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five. He said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I have made five more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’  (Then) the one who had received two talents also came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. See, I have made two more.’ His master said to him, ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master’s joy.’ Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter; so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.’ His master said to him in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter? Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return? Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’

The lazy servant does not take part in the joy of his master. He omitted the fructification of his gift. Someone might think, but it was only one. Suffices one gift put to good use to save the whole world. No gift of God is given in vain. Every gift is a bearer of divine life on our earth. A drop of water is also a precious gift to our God. It cannot be wasted. It is a gift.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints ensure that Christians are always a model of virtue, everywhere.