Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A

# The parable of the talents and the parable of the ten mines are two of the best known Gospel parables. The first is told in the Gospel according to Matthew 25:14-30. The second is similar, though slightly different. The second is similar, though slightly different, and is found in the Gospel of Luke, XIX, 12-27.It describes a master who rewards worthy servants and punishes another for his laziness. This metaphor is related to that of the true vine (Jn 15:1-12) and to the fact that the Lord wants his children to bear fruit, follow the theological and cardinal virtues to share, help and show compassion.

The two narratives also evoke the fate of the elect and that of the damned at the Judgement at the end of time. The parable illustrates the obligation of Christians not to waste the gifts they have received from God and to strive, despite the risks, to grow the kingdom of God. The word talent took on its full meaning from this parable. A priest, Brother Elijah, describes what this parable only half conceals: a judgement, a judgement of salvation will be pronounced on those to whom the Lord has entrusted gifts and talents to make them bear fruit during his absence.

 This parable of Jesus focuses our attention on the time between his ascension into heaven and his return in glory, a time in which we must invest ourselves in order to receive the crown of salvation on the day of judgement.It is therefore up to each of us to give according to our abilities to help our neighbour. However, Brother Elias goes further: for him, the man of high birth is actually Christ himself, and his return will be the time of final judgement, the time of the salvation of souls.

According to St John Chrysostom, by this word ‘talent’ is to be understood everything by which one can contribute to the good of one’s brother, whether by supporting him with one’s authority, helping him with one’s money, helping him with one’s advice through a fruitful exchange of words, or rendering him all the other services one is able to render.
And he added : « Nothing is so pleasing to God as sacrificing one’s life for the public good of all brothers and sisters. » This parable was taken up by John Calvin in the 16th century to re-evaluate usury in Protestant belief.

 The third servant, faced with his failure, could have presented himself to the master instead of insulting him, asking for forgiveness, or even saying that no one is worthy to enter the master’s joy by his own works. The only solution is to consent to what God gives. « Lord, I am not worthy, but just say the word and I will be healed. » What would the master have done ? He would also have welcomed this servant.

From the Gospel according to Matthew

At that time, Jesus told his disciples this parable : « It is like a man who, setting out on a journey, called his servants and entrusted his goods to them. To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, to a third one talent, to each according to his ability.  Then he departed. Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and sold them and gained another five talents. Likewise, he who had received two talents
gained another two talents.

But he who had received only one went and dug in the earth and hid his master’s money. Long afterwards, the master of these servants returned and asked them for an account. He who had received five talents approached, presented another five talents and said: ‘Lord, you entrusted me with five talents; now I have gained another five talents. The master said to him: « Well, good and faithful servant, you have been faithful for some things; I will entrust you with many; enter into the joy of your Lord.

The man who had received two talents also came and said : « Lord, you have entrusted me with two talents; now I have gained two more. » The master said to him : « Good, good and faithful servant, you have been faithful for a few things; I will entrust you with many; enter into the joy of your Lord » . The man who had received only one talent also approached and said : « Lord, I knew that you were a hard man: you reap where you have not sown, you gather where you have not scattered the grain. I was afraid and went and hid your talent in the ground. And here it is. You have what is yours ».

The master replied : « Wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I did not sow, that I harvest where I did not scatter the grain. I should have put my money in the bank, and when I returned I would have found it with interest ». Then take away his talent and give it to him who has ten. To him who has, it will be given again and he will have abundance ; but from him who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away. As for the good-for-nothing servant, cast him into darkness ; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (Mt 25:14-30).

The parable of the talents

The kingdom of heaven is compared to what a man did when he went on a journey and gave his goods to his servants. To one of them he gave five talents, to another two, to yet another one. Immediately the one who had received five talents set to work and earned another five talents; so did the one who had received two talents.

But he who had only one talent buried him under the ground. A long time later, the master returned and gave an account to his servants. The one who had received five talents produced another five that he had earned; so did the one who had received two. Then the master praised their faithfulness and invited them to share in his joy. But the one who had received one talent came and said: ‘Lord, I knew that you are a hard and unjust man; I feared and buried your talent in the ground: this is what is yours.

But the master said to him : « Wicked servant, if you knew that I am a hard and unjust man, you should have given my money to others, who would have returned it to me with interest. Take away his talent, give it to one who has ten, and cast the worthless servant into darkness outside ». Luke tells a parable that bears some similarity to this one, but in other respects differs profoundly from it. Several interpreters, considering these two accounts as one and the same parable, variously modified by the apostolic tradition, have wondered which of the two had priority and originality.

Did Jesus use one form of instruction twice, modifying it so as to express two different ideas ? In the parable told by Luke, all servants received the same amount of money. Here, the gifts entrusted were individualised according to each one’s abilities and means. After entrusting his goods in this way, the master left immediately, because he did not want to hinder in any way the freedom of his servants, who were now in charge.

« After a long time, the master of these servants came to settle accounts with them » (Mt 25:19). the five talents entrusted to him were not so few; but the master designated them as such in comparison to what he had entrusted of his immense wealth to this servant who had proved himself good and faithful. What does this word in the parable mean: the joy of your master ?

Some thought of the satisfaction the master felt for this good servant, others of some banquet or feast he wanted to organise to celebrate his return. But here, Jesus suddenly passed from image to reality, and this joy was the happiness and glory he enjoyed and into which he introduced his faithful servant. Some saw in these bankers Christian associations to whom the lazy servant could entrust the resources he did not want to use himself ; others, more advanced Christians, under whose direction he should place himself.

Still others saw in the act of bringing money to the bankers the renunciation of the Christian profession that was commanded to those who did not have the faith and love of their Master in their hearts.  « The bank is the divine treasure, and the act of depositing it requires of the servant a state of prayer in which the servant, who considers himself incapable of acting in the first person for the cause of Christ, can at least ask God to draw from him and from his Christian knowledge the use that he will deem appropriate. » (Godet)

The man who entrusted his possessions before leaving was the Lord himself, who would soon be separated from his disciples. The servants are the disciples of that time and the redeemed of all times, whatever their position or function in the Church.  The talents represent all of God’s gifts, natural advantages and spiritual graces, and in particular the outpouring of his Holy Spirit that was to be given to the Church, to create new life and vivify all other gifts.

These talents are distributed to each according to his or her abilities, according to the sovereign wisdom of the One who scrutinises hearts, measures moral and intellectual strengths, and knows the degree of receptivity of each soul.The goal is for each one to enhance these talents by making good use of them. Just as capital is increased by interest and work, so all God’s graces are multiplied by their faithful use in practical life.

 The return of the master who comes to settle accounts with his servants is the solemn advent, on the last day, of the Lord before whom all the secrets of hearts and all the fruits of each one’s labour will be revealed.The happiness of the faithful servants who enter into the joy of their Lord, as well as the inexpressible misfortune of the wicked and lazy servant who sees himself stripped of his talent and cast into outer darkness, this great and tragic epilogue of the parable, is self-explanatory.

Deacon MICHEL HOUYOUX

 Vidéo Firts NLR → https://youtu.be/jc0ImUx1oKk

Mercredi de la trente deuxième semaine du Temps Ordinaire – Année A

# La guérison des dix lépreux est un des miracles de Jésus-Christ rapporté dans l’Évangile selon Luc. Ce miracle souligne l’importance de la gratitude, et aussi de la foi car Jésus ne dit pas : « Mon pouvoir t’a guéri » mais attribua la guérison à la foi des suppliants.

Pour le Père Joseph-Marie, ces dix lépreux représentent l’humanité tout entière, prise dans le péché, et par rapport à Dieu oublié. Cependant les lépreux savent encore prier, et Jésus parce qu’ils lui montrent qu’ils veulent suivre sa parole, les guérit.

Pour autant un seul lépreux croit pleinement au Christ. L’espérance et la foi, deux des vertus primordiales pour l’Église sont dans ce miracle comme dans beaucoup d’autres mises en avant.

Saint Bruno de Segni confirma que ces dix lépreux représentent l’humanité. Ce miracle reflète la miséricorde de Dieu. Le lépreux qui vint revoir le Christ est l’image des baptisés. C’est la foi qui sauve, qui justifie, guérit l’homme dans son âme et dans son corps.

Il y a dans ce miracle deux niveaux de guérison : celle du corps, et celle de l’âme. La lèpre de l’humanité est l’orgueil et l’égoïsme qui créent la violence et la haine. Dieu qui est Amour est le remède face à ses plaies.Convertissez-vous et croyez à l’Évangile » (Mc 1, 15)

 

De l’Évangile de Jésus Christ selon Luc

En ce temps-là, Jésus, marchant vers Jérusalem, traversait la région située entre la Samarie et la Galilée. Comme il entrait dans un village, dix lépreux vinrent à sa rencontre. Ils s’arrêtèrent à distance et lui crièrent : «Jésus, maître, prends pitié de nous.»

À cette vue, Jésus leur dit : «Allez vous montrer aux prêtres.» En cours de route, ils furent purifiés.
L’un d’eux, voyant qu’il était guéri, revint sur ses pas, en glorifiant Dieu à pleine voix. Il se jeta face contre terre aux pieds de Jésus en lui rendant grâce.

Or, c’était un Samaritain. Alors Jésus prit la parole en disant : «Tous les dix n’ont-ils pas été purifiés ? Les neuf autres, où sont-ils ? Il ne s’est trouvé parmi eux que cet étranger pour revenir sur ses pas et rendre gloire à Dieu !» Jésus lui dit : «Relève-toi et va : ta foi t’a sauvé.» (L 17-11-19)

Les dix lépreux

Jésus poursuivit sa route vers Jérusalem et passa entre la Samarie et la Galilée, dix lépreux le rencontrèrent, et, de loin, implorèrent sa pitié. Dès qu’il les vit, Jésus leur ordonna d’aller se montrer aux sacrificateurs. En y allant, ils furent guéris. L’un d’eux, un samaritain, revint glorifiant Dieu ; et se jetant aux pieds de Jésus, il lui rendit grâces.

Sa conduite inspira à Jésus cette réflexion attristée : «Les dix n’ont-ils pas été guéris? N!y eut-il aucun des neuf autres qui revint , comme cet étranger, pour donner gloire à Dieu ?» Jésus dit au lépreux : «Va, ta foi t’a sauvé». Luc donna une nouvelle indication de ce long voyage de Jésus vers Jérusalem, interrompu et retardé par diverses excursions et de nombreux travaux : «Comme s’accomplissait le temps où il allait être enlevé au ciel, Jésus, le visage déterminé, prit la route de Jérusalem.» ‘Lc 9, 51)

Dans ce moment, il traversa la Samarie et la Galilée, en se dirigeant de l’ouest à l’est vers le Jourdain et la Pérée. Il ne suivit pas, pour se rendre à Jérusalem, l’une des deux routes ordinaires, par la Pérée ou par la Samarie. Cette mention de la Samarie, tout en indiquant le chemin que suivit Jésus, révéla qu’il y eut un Samaritain parmi les lépreux que Jésus eut a guéri.

Ces malheureux lépreux, exclus par la loi de toute communication avec la société, se réunirent, afin de se rendre mutuellement les soins que tout le monde leur refusa. C’est à cause de la même interdiction qu’ils s’arrêtèrent à distance et durent ainsi élever la voix pour implorer la pitié de Jésus.

Les sacrificateurs eurent seuls le droit de constater la guérison d’un lépreux et de le réintégrer dans ses privilèges d’Israélite : «Lorsqu’un homme aura sur la peau une grosseur, une dartre ou une tache blanche qui ressemblera à une plaie de lèpre sur sa peau, on l’amènera au prêtre Aaron ou à l’un de ses descendants qui seront prêtres.» (Lv 13, 2)

Jésus n’estima pas que la guérison miraculeuse dont ils furent l’objet dispensa ces lépreux d’observer la loi ; et, en même temps, comme ils durent aller en se confiant en sa seule parole, ce fut pour eux un exercice de foi. Ils furent guéris comme ils s’en allèrent, dans l’acte même de leur obéissance à la parole de Jésus. Et cette guérison fut si complète, qu’ils ne purent pas en avoir le moindre doute.

La foi de cet homme, puis sa vive reconnaissance envers Dieu et envers le Sauveur, furent certainement le point de départ d’un développement tout nouveau dans sa vie religieuse, le dernier terme fut le salut le son âme. De là cette expression que Jésus employa à dessein.

Diacre Michel Houyoux

Complément

◊ Diacre Michel Houyoux : cliquez ici pour lire l’article → Saint Martin de Tours, évêque (316-397) – Mémoire

Liens avec d’autres sites web chrétiens

◊ Réflexion chrétienne : cliquez ici pour lire l’article → Il ne s’est trouvé parmi eux que cet étranger pour revenir

◊ Diacre Jean)-Yves fortin: cliquez ici pour lire l’article → Il se jeta la face contre terre aux pieds de Jésus en lui rendant grâce

♥ Vidéo Frère Thibaut du Pontavice → https://youtu.be/-2lYvFH4t3