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FIDELITY IN
SMALL THINGS
The master, Jesus Christ, after His
first coming, was to go on a long journey. So He called His
servants; to one He gave five talents, to another, two, and to
another one. . .to each one according to his ability.
The one who had five traded and
made another five; the one with two made another two. But the third
buried the money.
Christ's main warning is: "You
do not know the day when the Lord will come." And then, He
shows that He will come suddenly. The talents are the knowledge of
Christ's commands.
The one with five talents acts with
speed, not in the least negligent and doubles what he had received.
He doubles his possession whoever does good to others. But he who
buries the talent is he who cares only for his own benefit and not
for that of others. . .and he is condemned.
He buries his treasures on the
earth who uses his talents for earthly affairs.
Those who double their talents were
referred to as faithful and good. He is good who imparts his own
goodness to his neighbors. Whether five or two, each servant did
their jobs perfectly since they did well what they were given to do.
Yes, God is hard or exacting. Good
superiors are hard, not cruel It is exacting to look for obedience
from men for God did not create obedience within man, nor did He sow
in him an obedient disposition. God gave man a free will and that is
contrary to obedience. So, the unfaithful servant was right when he
said: You reap where you have not sown, i.e. You require an obedient
disposition from all men, although You have implanted in no man an
obedient disposition.
The talent was to be loaned to
bankers--bankers because an accounting will be exacted, too, from
them.
And what is the increase demanded
by the master? The talents are the words of Christ; the increase
that must come from the disciples is the works. . .the good works.
So, God, seeing there are no works, removes also the knowledge of
the words of Christ.
The diligent draws to himself the
greater gifts; the slothful loses the gift itself, though he appears
to still have it.
Blessed Theophylact
(11-17-02) | 
