Take Risk Without Fear

Take Risk Without Fear

Matthew 25:14-30

Reflection

Dear sisters and brothers,

Today we have the text from the Gospel of Matthew (Matthew 25:14-30) for our reflection.

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.’”

The parable of the talents is told to the disciples of Jesus Christ.

The parable is for all who believe in Jesus Christ as their Saviour.

The parable is for all who continue to do without any rewards.

The parable is for all who have faith in their responsibilities.

The parable is for all who commit to their duties.

The parable is for all who do not surrender to their weaknesses.

The parable is for all who do not submit to their fears.

The parable is for all who have impossibles to achieve their goals.

The parable is for all who have innumerable possibilities to reach their life purposes.

The parable is for all who have the feeling of urgency in their lives.

The parable is for all who dream something big.

The parable is for all who make things happen in this world positively.

The parable is for all who drive something to do good before it is too late.

The parable is for all who say something powerful to change the world.

The parable is for all who longs for the Kingdom of God.

The parable is for all who have the enthusiasm to preach Christ Jesus to an unfriendly world.

The parable is for all who have the courage to liberate the people who are poor, imprisoned (Luke 4:16-20).

We can have many reflections from the parable of the talents as I have mentioned above.

In spite of all these possibilities, I focus on only one important lesson to lead our faith life in Jesus Christ from the parable of the talents for the disciples of Jesus Christ (including me) in this post-truth world.

The lesson is: ‘Take Risk Without Fear’.

For this, I would like to narrate a recent story of a fearless disciple, who is a warrior for Jharkhand's (one of the Indian states) adivasis (tribals), Father Stan Swamy, a Jesuit, arrested for his alleged role in the Bhima Koregaon violence case, is remembered by peers as someone who worked to uplift the marginalised despite his struggle with Parkinson's disease.

For Father Stanislaus Lourduswamy, true religion is standing for justice, humanity and truth.

His ideas made many within the Church uncomfortable.

To them, he was a radical of sorts.

But, this was his life's mission, and many activists, including myself, were inspired by his journey," says Tony PM, a freelance researcher and social activist in Ranchi, who has been associated with the 83-year-old Jesuit priest since 1993.