Brothers and Sisters,

Be careful there are no holes in your pockets, for you just may lose what you have . . .

One of the reasons for people saying that today’s parable is unfair appears toward the end of the Gospel, where Jesus says:  “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.”  These words make it seem that God wants to increase the gulf between the “haves” and the “have-nots”.  In this parable, however, Jesus is not presenting us with an economics lesson;  He is teaching us what happens when we use our gifts.

If a bodybuilder stops exercising and controlling his diet, his muscles eventually become slack and fat in the body rapidly increases.  If a person blessed with linguistic talent stops using it, his facility to speak other languages is diminished or completely lost.  The same applies to all of our talents.  Either we use them, or we lose them.

So rather than being unfair, it is entirely fair that God, having given us those talents, wants us to use them for Him and for others.  If we do not act accordingly, perhaps we ought to lose the endowments we have received.  May those who will use their gifts, have them!

Your Priest,

Fr. Paul