Friday, December 6 : Saint John Chrysostom

The parable of the talents is about all those who, instead of providing assistance to their brethren with their goods, their advice or in some other way, live only for themselves… Jesus wants to show us our Lord’s long patience in this parable but he also alludes, it seems to me, to the final resurrection… In the first place, the servants who give an account of their dealings unequivocally acknowledge what comes from their master’s gift and what is the fruit of their stewardship. The first says: “Lord, you entrusted me with five talents”, and the second: “Lord, you entrusted me with two talents.” Thus they acknowledge it is from their master’s bounty that they hold the capital they put to their profit. This acknowledgement goes so far that they ascribe all the merit and glory of their success to their master’s trust. What does the master reply, then? “Well done, good and faithful servant.” This is real goodness, isn’t it, when someone strives to do good to their brethren?… “Enter into the joy of your Lord”: this refers to the blessedness of eternal life. But it is by no means the same case for the wicked servant… What is then the master’s reply? “You wicked and lazy servant, why did you not place my money in the bank?” which means speaking to, encouraging, counselling one’s brothers and sisters. “But people wouldn’t listen to me,” the other might have replied. To which the Lord answers: “What is that to you?… You should at least have deposited this money in the bank and left me to collect it with interest on my return.” The interest refers to the good works that go before the hearing of the Word we are to speak. “You only had to do the easier part of the work and leave the more difficult to me”… What is there to say? Someone who, for the sake of the other, has received the grace of word and teaching but does not put it to use, will have this grace taken away. But someone who uses wisely and zealously the grace received will receive an even more abundant grace.

Roman Extraordinary (Tridentine) Daily Readings – rosary,team