Monday Morning Gospel QB - Parable of the Talents
Channel: Sean Hayes
Date: 2020-11-16

"Your Life is a Gift from God . . . What you do with it, is a Gift back to God"
What do you think?  

“A man going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one— to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two. But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master’s money. 
“After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five. He said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. See, I have made five more.’ His master said to him, ‘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.’ Then the one who had received two talents also came forward and said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. See, I have made two more.’ His master said to him, ‘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.’ Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter; so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.’ His master said to him in reply, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter? Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return? Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.’” 
To learn – we have to unlearn . . .  to grow – we have to let go or die to a part of ourselves because we never rally learn unless we make mistakes.   Remember The Magic School Bus, you or your kids watched it and Ms. Frizzle . . . she would tell her students to “get out there, get messy, make mistakes” . . .  isn’t that what Jesus’ parable is about this week, at least in part.  
 
Jesus acknowledges this in his parable - the person who is given 5 and uses them and take risks; doubles it . . . it's like love, the more you give it, the more it grows . . . the more you get out there and share it more it comes back to you BUT – it’s a RISK . . . your heart could break.   The person who is given 2 talents, different talents no doubt, but still gifts . . . he or she takes those they will be doubled them if . . . they get out there and stretch and grow and take those risks . . . 

BUT the person who is given one talent and buries it . . . who settles . . .  who feels scared or paralyzed and doesn't take any risks and stays safe you will lose what you were given.  Your talent, if not developed through engagement, will wither and die.  Tough stuff / high expectations . . . 
 
Our life is a gift what we do in our life is a gift backed . . .  

So as we approach this week and the insight from this reading, perhaps we can ask God to give us the wisdom to recognize our talents . . . to take some risks and develop them and even to ask God for the courage to persevere and see this process through so what we have been gifted, may doubled and we may hear from the Master . . . Welcome my good and faithful servant . . . share in my joy.