In the Gospel reading for last Sunday’s Mass (Matthew 25: 14-30), Jesus uses the Parable of the Talents to educate his disciples. Even at the most basic of interpretations, this story has significant meaning to all those who are part of our school community.
In the parable, a rich man delegates the management of his wealth to his servants, much as investors in today’s markets do. He gives five talents (a large unit of money) to the first servant, two talents to the second, and one talent to the third. Two of the servants earn 100 percent returns by trading with the funds, but the third servant hides the money in the ground and earns nothing. The rich man returns, rewards the two who made money but severely punishes the servant who did nothing. As we reflect on this parable, God has given each one of us talents. It is not always easy for us to acknowledge our talents or have them paraded about the place, yet Jesus tells us that we should see our talents as a gift from God; a gift from God that needs to be acknowledged, celebrated and shared amongst our family, friends and the wider community. Our talents that come from within are far too special to bury. Our greatness lies not in the greatness of our talents in themselves but in the greatness of our love to use them to build the Kingdom of God in our time and place. This week, spend some time reflecting on how best you can use the talents you have been entrusted with... let your light shine.