Trust. Creativity. Accountability.
Saturday of the 21st Week in Ordinary Time | St. Monica, holy woman
Trust. Creativity. Accountability. Today’s Gospel proclaims to us the Parable of the Talents. The talent mentioned here refers to a unit of coinage of high but varying value depending on its metal (gold, silver, copper) and its place of origin. A talent of gold, for example, would be worth a whole lot more than a talent of bronze. Biblical commentators differ somewhat over the approximate value of a talent in today’s economy, all would agree that it was a large amount of money. Some say that it was the equivalent to 20 years’ wages for a common laborer.
Trust. At the beginning of the parable Jesus relates that a man was going on a journey and entrusted his possessions to his servants each to his ability. The master mentioned here refers to God who, in His love and kindness gives us His grace according to our need, our ability, our capacity. The word that is given emphasis here is the word trust, God trusts in us, He entrusts His possession, His grace to each one of us. When we say that we trust someone, there is a firm belief in the reliability, truth, and ability towards that person. This can lead us to reflect that despite our sinfulness and unworthiness, God trusts in us, He believes in our ability and capacity that is why He continues to bestow His graces upon us.
Creativity. The servants who were entrusted with different talents were creative enough to do something about them. Two of those servants invested their talents and gained twice the original amount given to them. As the Lord entrusts His graces on us, we are to creatively use them for the good, for what can benefit not only ourselves but humanity in general. As persons entrusted with much by the Lord, we are given the responsibility as well to develop, to grow, and to share whatever we have. The Lord allows us to be creative enough to make the most of whatever He has given to us. Let us remember, God entrusts these to us according to our ability. When we have them, it means we are able and capable of developing them, of letting them grow, and we can share them with our brothers and sisters.
Accountability. When the master returned from his journey, the servants presented themselves to him. They gave an account of what they did to the talents that were given to them. The first two servants were praised by the Master, “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!” Unfortunately, the third servant had a different story. He did not do anything with the talent that was given to him according to his ability, thus the master rebuked him for it. He was given something to develop, to grow, and to share. This comes as an invitation for us to ask for forgiveness for the times that we have not allowed God’s goodness and grace to touch us and transform us.
Trust. Creativity. Accountability. These are also virtues that St. Monica had during her lifetime. As a wife, she placed her trust in the Lord by praying for her pagan husband. As a mother, she placed her trust in the Lord by praying for the conversion of her son Augustine. She was persistent in her prayers and never gave up until her son was converted to Christianity also through the help of St. Ambrose who said, “the child of those tears shall never perish.”
Brothers and sisters, as we celebrate this Eucharist today, let us ask the intercession of St. Monica to be grateful to the trust that the Lord has given to each one of us. We also place our trust in Him so that we may be creative enough to live in His grace and that one day we can give a good account of these to Him. May we hear the master’s words today and always, “Well done, my good and faithful servant. Come, share your master’s joy.”
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