Ready or nought

At the core of the Parable of the Talents in today’s Gospel is a very powerful insight about life in this world and what happens afterward: namely, that life in this world is a preparation for the next.

This may not seem like the biggest news flash for believing Christians, but it is key to understanding the puzzling statement that stands as the moral of the story.

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.

Everything we have and are in this life is given to us by the Lord. How we use what we have in this life will directly affect what we have and experience in the life to come.

The good servants in the parable are like those who use the opportunities they have been given in life to build up for themselves treasure in heaven. So, when their life in this world ends, there is something waiting for them – and not just the fruit of their good works, but even “more will be given:” the infinite riches of God’s grace.

The lazy servant does not make use of the opportunities of life in this world in preparation for the world to come. So, when life in this world ends, “even what he has will be taken away” by death and he is left with nought: nothing except the terror of utter oblivion, “the outer darkness where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.”

Use the opportunities you have
to build up treasure in heaven
while you still have opportunities to use.