The asset

Listening to the Spirit

Grant us, we pray, O Lord our God, the constant gladness of being devoted to you, for it is full and lasting happiness to serve with constancy the author of all that is good. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.

Amen

Listening to the Word

Mt 25:14-30

Jesus told his disciples this parable: “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.’”

Reflection

Before Pandemic Covid-19, I went to a chapel with my bicycle. Near the chapel, I saw a portion of land still empty. The lot looked like abandon. The grass was growing there and people threw the garbage there. At that time, I was thinking, “Sayang, in the center of the city, there is an abandoned place like this.”

Because of Pandemic, I had not gone to the chapel again. But last week, I went to the chapel and I was surprised. Why? I couldn’t see the abandoned space anymore. On that land, it was built a three stores building, a kind of apartment. I saw at least nine apartments for rent. If an apartment ₱ 5K, it means the owner will receive ₱ 45K a month. Wow!

Before an abandoned land, but now can produce at least ₱ 45K a month.

I call this experience because our Gospel today is talking about the parable of the talents. The master in the Gospel gave talents to every servant. The master expects the talents in the hands of the servants must increase. Although one talent, the master still expects to increase. For the master, to bury the talent means waste its potential. The master condemns the servant who his talent doesn’t increase.

The Gospel invites us to count the gifts that God has given to us. God gives us a beautiful family. God gives us parents, education, friends, vocation, a peaceful place, beautiful voice, etc. Do I bury the talent? If we have a beautiful voice, we can increase it. We can join the Choir. We can serve during mass.

Moreover, God gives us His only Son. Jesus becomes our brother. Jesus becomes our light in this world. Jesus heals us. Jesus supports us. Jesus forgives us. Jesus cleans us. Jesus makes our life lighter. Jesus gives us peace. In short, in Jesus, we know that God loves us.

This is the greatest gift from God.

Jesus must increase.