to tell them a parable. He said, “A man of noble birth went to a distant country in order to
be crowned king, after which he planned to return home. Before he left, he summoned ten
of his servants and gave them ten pounds of silver. He said, ‘Put this money to work until
I get back.’ But his compatriots, who disliked him, sent a delegation after him with this
message, ‘We do not want this man to be our king.’ He returned, however, appointed as
king. At once he sent for the servants, to whom he had given the money, to find out what
profit each had made. The first came in, and reported, ‘Sir, your pound of silver has
earned ten more pounds of silver.' The master replied, ‘Well done, my good servant!
Since you have proved yourself faithful in a small matter, I can trust you to take charge
of ten cities.’ The second reported, ‘Sir, your pound of silver earned five more pounds
of silver.’ The master replied, ‘And you, take charge of five cities!’ The third came in,
and said, ‘Sir, here is your money, which I hid for safekeeping. I was afraid of you, for
you are an exacting person: you take up what you did not lay down, and you reap
what you did not sow.’ The master replied, ‘You worthless servant, I will judge you
by your own words! So you knew I was an exacting person, taking up what I did not
lay down, and reaping what I did not sow? Why, then, did you not put my money on
loan, so that, when I got back, I could have collected it with interest?’ Then the
master said to those standing by, ‘Take from him that pound, and give it to the one
with ten pounds.’ But they objected, ‘Sir, he already has ten pounds!’ The master
replied, ‘I tell you, everyone who has will be given more; but from those who have
nothing, even what they have will be taken away. As for my enemies who did not
want me to be their king, bring them in, and execute them right here in front me!’”
So Jesus spoke, and then he passed on ahead of them, on his way to Jerusalem.

 Reflect

“God's gift to us.” Our faith journey now invites us to make a more intense self
-examination. This time, it would be good to look into how we used our energy,
resources, talents and skills this past liturgical year. Have we made the most out
of whatever God has given us? Have we misused or abused such God-given gifts?
Have set them aside out of fear or indifference? What have we done with God’s
gift to us? In the Gospel pericope for today, Jesus narrated a parable – the
Parable of the Ten Pounds. There is a more familiar parallel story which is known
to us as the Parable of the Talents (cf. Mt 25:14-20). Both the Lucan and Matthean
accounts are textually situated toward the end of Jesus’ earthly life, when he was
about to fulfill his mission in Jerusalem. We may reflect on our God-given gifts
vis-à-vis Jesus’ offering of himself. Jesus gave his all that we may have the fullness of
life. Can we also give our best so that we may keep the kind of life God intends for
us to have?

© Copyright Bible Diary 2024