You might be surprised to learn that my name neither appears on the current Forbes 100 Billionaires’ List nor on the Sunday Times 2023 Rich List. Nor have I ever featured on the cover of Time magazine. In fact, despite my many evident talents, none of them have made me rich or famous or both. I hope you have picked up my sarcastic tone; a much more realistic description I can apply to myself is: “a jack of all trades and master of none.” To be honest, I’m content with that and like it this way. But it wasn’t always like that. In my youth, I had some aspirations, dreams and ambitions, and I pursued most of them. I ended up as a Catholic priest in Inverurie, so you can easily guess how well that pursuit went. It’s not what you think – it went well because it made me realise my strengths and weaknesses, my real talents and delusions, my abilities and limitations. Subsequently, I was able to invest in, develop and use my assets well and avoid wasting time and energy on daydreams. I ended up being a Catholic priest in Inverurie, and each element in this sentence is the source of my contentment.
In today’s parable, Jesus continues giving us a lesson on the meaning of life. Over the last couple of Sundays, we have heard about various aspects of a life well-lived. It’s built upon the intertwined love of God and of neighbour, as we were reminded three weeks ago. Last Sunday, we were told to be vigilant and ready for the unexpected while keeping the important things higher on the list of priorities than the urgent ones. In a way, it was a commentary on the second part of the commandment: “Love your neighbour like yourself.” Next Sunday’s parable will address the first part of it, while today’s connects them.
In today’s made-up story, the servants received five, two and one talents, respectively. With our colloquial use of the word “talent”, we might think it was a bit mean. However, it’s estimated that one talent was worth fifteen annual salaries of a worker as a measure of wealth. In today’s money – based on the most recent data – that would amount to £600,000, received in one go. Or multiplied by two or five, respectively. That was quite a lot of money to take care of and, consequently, a lot of responsibility. But I think the most interesting aspect of this part of the parable is that the servants didn’t receive an equal amount of money. The key phrase here is this: “each in proportion to his ability.” Unlike some modern, so-called “progressive” approaches, this was firmly rooted in reality: we are not uniformly gifted, talented or skilled. We are all fundamentally equal as humans, but what we can do or achieve is not. Of course, as a society, we must struggle to give everyone equal opportunities. But – even if we could achieve such a commendable goal – not everyone could make their dreams come true because of our limitations, abilities and capabilities. Recognising and embracing them positively is a crucial step towards maturity and happiness in life.
However, there’s a danger of neglecting to reach one’s full potential. It was illustrated by the attitude of the servant with one talent. Unlike two others who had used their talents well and brought more, he considered it good enough not to lose any money. In his conversation with the master, he clearly tried to blame the latter for his own attitude: “I had heard you were a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered, so I was afraid.” This was a good old-fashioned approach: it’s not my fault, it’s someone else’s. Of course, there are moments in life when we are troubled by other people’s actions. But it isn’t uncommon to blame everything and everyone for one’s own misfortune or lack of achievements. At the end of the day, each one of us is responsible for our lives. We can’t control most external factors, but we are in control of how we act, react and adapt to life’s circumstances. That was the meaning of the master’s response: “So you knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered? Well then, you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return, I would have recovered my capital with interest.” In other words, if the servant’s opinion had been genuine, he should have acted accordingly. But it was purely an excuse that the master saw through. The real reason for the servant’s attitude was much simpler and damning: “You wicked and lazy servant!”
The overall meaning of today’s parable is that each one of us has been given a great gift: life. For each one of us, it has taken a different form, shape and course. We experience external and internal limitations and challenges, but it’s up to us how we face them and how we make the best of our lives. Although we depend on one another, at the end of the day, our individual decisions and actions take us through life. You’ve got the gift of life, so live it well. Although the ultimate reward awaits at the end of it, you can find happiness much sooner: here and now.
