Daily Readings - Sat Aug 30 2025
Matthew
14For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.15And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.16Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.17And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.18But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.19After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.20And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.21His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.22He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.23His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.24Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:25And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.26His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:27Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.28Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.29For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.30And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Sermon
In today’s Gospel, Jesus shares the parable of the talents, a story about a master who entrusts his servants with different amounts of wealth before embarking on a journey. The servants who receive five and two talents use them wisely, doubling their value, and are praised by the master for their faithfulness. However, the servant who receives one talent buries it out of fear and fails to increase it, leading to condemnation from the master. This parable is part of Jesus’ teachings about the end times, urging his followers to be prepared and faithful stewards of the gifts and resources they have been given.
The context of this parable is deeply rooted in the Jewish tradition of trust and accountability. The master represents God, who entrusts each person with unique talents and abilities according to their capacity. The servants represent us, and the talents symbolize the gifts, time, and opportunities God has given us to use for His glory and the good of others. The parable emphasizes that faithfulness is not about the quantity of what we have, but about the quality of how we use it. The master’s stern response to the lazy servant serves as a warning against fear, complacency, and the failure to take risks in living out our faith.
This parable invites us to reflect on how we are using the talents and blessings God has entrusted to us. Are we hiding them out of fear or complacency, or are we using them to grow in holiness and serve others? The moral lesson is clear: faithfulness in small things leads to greater responsibilities and eternal rewards. Let us ask ourselves: What are the talents God has given me? Am I using them to bear fruit in my life and in the lives of others? May we strive to be good and faithful servants, using our gifts to build the Kingdom of God, so that one day we may hear the words, “Well done, enter into the joy of your master.”