by Fr. Tommy Lane
What a difference between the first two servants in the parable and the third! (Matt 25:14-30) The problem with the third servant is that he did not know his master well and was afraid of him. He thought he knew him, but he didn’t really. He had an impression of his master, but he didn’t really know him. It was that false impression of his master and fear of him that led him to bury the talent instead of doubling his gift like the other two servants. Of course, the master in the parable represents God, and we are the servants. We want to be like the first two servants who did well. We do not want to be like the third servant who let himself and his master down. An incorrect understanding of God would land us in the same situation as the third servant, but a better understanding of God would help us like the first and second servant.
Looking at Jesus in the Gospels and how he related to his Father helps us to get a better picture of God. In Mark’s Gospel, when Jesus was in agony in Gethsemane, he prayed to his Father using the Aramaic word “Abba” (Mark 14:36). The Aramaic word “Abba” is something like our word Daddy. It is the kind of word a child would use talking to his father. Aramaic was the language in Palestine at the time of Jesus so it was only natural that Jesus would pray in Aramaic. What is surprising is that Mark, who wrote his Gospel in Greek, included that Aramaic word “Abba.” Mark wanted to show us Jesus teaching us something about his relationship with his Father and something about how we can relate to our heavenly Father. There is no other example in Jewish prayers before Jesus of anyone using the word “Abba” when praying to God. This is a first. (Jeremias The Prayers of Jesus p57) After Jesus, we have examples because the early Christians learned to pray to God as Daddy/Abba as Jesus had. Twice in Paul’s letters we find Paul using the word “Abba” in a context of praying to the Father (Gal 4:6; Rom 8:15). For example, “God has sent into our hearts the Spirit of his Son crying, ‘Abba, Father.’ (Gal 4:6) So it seems that the early Christians were using Abba/Daddy to pray to the Father because they had learned from Jesus. This closeness between us and the Father was something entirely new, shown to us by Jesus. During this time of pandemic (2020), some may be tempted to fall into the trap of negative thinking about God. God is as close to you as ever and loves you as much as ever, pandemic or no pandemic. Jesus called his Father Abba/Daddy to show us that the Father wants you to have a close relationship with him, the closest and best relationship you can imagine between a child and its father.
As an expression of the Father’s love for you, he has given you talents, to use the language of the parable. You know what they are. Whatever they are, they are gifts from God to you, expressions of God’s tenderness towards you. God has given you just the right talents for yourself and has given others just the right talents for themselves. Jesus’ parable specifically says each servant received talents “according to his ability.” (Matt 25:15) So, it is not good to compare ourselves with others. God knows what is best for us. We let it all trustingly in the hands of God. What is important is to use well the gifts and talents God has given to us. Jesus’ parable encourages us to use our talents well before the master returns. The return of the master for us is when the Lord will call us from this life to himself. So, until we are called to the next life, we are to use our talents well. The perfect wife in the first reading is an example of someone using her talents well. In the parable, the first two servants went immediately to double their talents when the master went away. They did not waste time. One talent we have received is our relationship with God through the sacraments and prayer. Might I suggest doubling that talent by entering into closer relationship with God through prayer.
You might say, “But the master in the parable doesn’t treat the third servant very well when he returns.” In most cases, when Jesus teaches a parable, he expects us to take one main point from the parable, which in this case is to use our talents well before we are called from this life. Jesus uses items from everyday life in his parables so not every element in every parable is meant to be exemplary. For example, in another parable when Jesus is encouraging us to persevere in prayer, he gives the example of a widow pestering an unjust judge until the unjust judge gives her what she wants (Luke 18:1-8). God is obviously not an unjust judge, but Jesus uses that in the parable to make the point to persevere in prayer. In most cases, when Jesus teaches a parable, we are to take one main point from the parable. So regardless of how the master treats the third servant in today’s parable, Jesus’ point is to be ready for when we are called by having put our talents to good use. Anyhow, we know from other parables, for example the Parable of the Prodigal Son, that the Father is kind and merciful to us and always waiting for us. The problem with the third servant in the parable is that he did not know his master well and so was afraid of him.
Jesus called his Father Abba/Daddy to show us that the Father wants you to have a close relationship with him, the closest and best relationship you can imagine between a child and its father to enable you to double your talents.
© Fr. Tommy Lane 2020
This homily was delivered in a parish in Ireland.
More Homilies for the Thirty-Third Sunday Year A
From Fear to Love 2023
Now is an important and exciting time to double the talents 2011
Doubling talents: growing in virtue 2008