The second chapter of Mathew’s Eschatological Discourse consists of three long parables, all of which are familiar to us. They have the common theme of preparation for the final coming of the Lord, whenever that will be.
Yesterday’s reading (Matthew 25:1-13) was the parable about the wise and foolish bridesmaids. The story likely reflects common wedding customs of the time. The bridesmaids who attend on the bride are waiting for the bridegroom to come. The time of his arrival is not known. Perhaps, at that time, it was his way of asserting his male authority from the very beginning of their marriage.
In the story there are a 10 bridesmaids. Of these, we are told that five were “wise” and the others were “foolish”. The “wise” young women all brought an extra supply of oil with them while the “foolish” ones only had their lamps. The lamps consisted of oil-soaked rags at the top of a pole and needed to have oil added every 15 minutes or so.
The bridegroom was long in coming. The implication is that he was taking much longer than expected. In fact, he was so long in coming that the bridesmaids all fell asleep. Suddenly, in the middle of the night, the call went up:
Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.
Immediately the young women got ready and trimmed their torches. The charred edges had to be cut away and the rags soaked in more oil. The foolish ones immediately realized they were running out of oil. They ask their companions to share some of their oil. These refused on the grounds that there was not enough to go round and none of them would have enough. The foolish ones were told to go off and buy some more for themselves.
However, while they were still away, the bridegroom arrived. Those who were ready went into the marriage celebration with him and the doors were shut. When the foolish bridesmaids finally arrived with their new supply of oil, they found the doors closed in their face. They cried out, “Lord, lord, open to us.” But the bridegroom answered, “Truly I tell you, I do not know you.” The message of this parable is a warning to us all to be ready when the Lord comes.
In the early Church, followers believed that Jesus would return during their lifetime. This belief is expressed in 1 Thessalonians, the earliest writing of the New Testament. But Jesus did not come and, by the time Matthew’s Gospel appeared, people were beginning to realize that his coming could be in a more distant future.
It is in this context that today’s parable gives a warning. If the Lord was not going to come soon, then some people might begin to take things easy and become lax in their living of the Gospel. Today’s passage suggests that that is not a very wise way of behaving.
While the Gospel is speaking about the final or eschatological coming of Jesus as King and Lord, it would be very complacent of us to think that there are no signs of its happening in the near future. That would put us in the same category as the foolish bridesmaids! While the final coming may still be far off, our own rendezvous with the Lord can be at any time. For all practical purposes, that is the time for which we must be prepared.
Today is our final weekday reading from Matthew’s Gospel and on Monday we will begin the reading of Luke’s Gospel. Today also is also our last reading from the fifth and final Eschatological Discourse of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel (Matthew 25:14-30).
There are two great passages left—the parable of the talents and the description of the last judgement—but we will only be taking the first of these. Both deal with the final judgment and, like the parable of the bridesmaids, are warnings on how we are to prepare.
Today’s parable speaks of a wealthy man who, before he set off on a journey, entrusted his servants (slaves) with large sums of money. He gave them different amounts according to their ability. One received five talents, a second, two, and the third just one. A ‘talent’ was an enormous amount of money in the ancient world. The amount given out indicates the generosity of the master. But the money was not for their own personal enjoyment; it was meant to be used productively.
The first two servants both traded actively with the money they had been given and doubled their original capital. The third man, however, buried his money in the ground as this was considered the most secure place in a pre-banking society.
When the master came back, the first two presented their accounts. Their master was very pleased. To each he said, “Well done, good and trustworthy servant; you have shown yourself trustworthy in small things; I will put you in charge of many things; enter the joy of your master.
Then the third man came along with his one talent. He had not traded with it because he was afraid he would lose his money and said, “Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you did not scatter, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.
Ironically, he was the one who was given the least and from whom the least was expected. But even with that little responsibility he failed to produce. Perhaps he even expected to be praised for his prudence.
The master does not deny the charge of being a hard man, but he accuses the man of not having done even the least thing to increase his capital. He could have deposited or lent the money and got some interest. But he had absolutely nothing to show of his own.
The money is taken from him and given to the one who had five talents. Surprising? Unfair? Not really. This man had already shown he was a very good investment. And Jesus sums up: “For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance, but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.”
At the end our time, we will be asked, as the men in the parable were, “How did you use the gifts that I gave you and how productive were you in furthering the growth of the Kingdom?”
Some people have never given this question much thought. They see their Christian life in rather passive terms, just looking after themselves, living in conformity with the commandments of God and the Church, fulfilling their ‘religious duties’, making sure to die ‘in the state of grace’. But this, in effect, is to bury one’s talents.
Today’s Gospel makes it very clear that far more is expected of us. We are expected to make an active and positive contribution to the work of the Kingdom and to the Christian community as the Body of Christ. In practice, that means taking an active part in our Church, in our parish, and in contributing to the betterment of our society. So, it is very important for us to spend some time reflecting on what are my unique ‘talents’ or gifts or abilities and then to ask how and to what end I am using them? The time to do that is today because, as we have been amply warned, we do not know when our Master is coming back to check his accounts with us.
The end of today’s passage indicates that if we do not move forward, or are not productive, then we go backwards. We cannot remain static or purely passive in God’s service. To do nothing is not an option. The more we give and share with others from the resources we have been given, the more we are personally enriched; on the other hand, to cling to our gifts and keep them just for ourselves is to become smaller.
May God Bless You and Grant You His Peace!