Some might see in this story the same kind of faith asked of Abraham when God asked him to offer his only son as a sacrifice to God; and even for Abraham, by his own hands, to do the killing.
Without question and with total dedication to God, the answer given was a resounding yes!
Both stories, frankly, seem appalling; but, perhaps, in the great biblical stories within our tradition, they are great teaching stories meant to lead all of us to a greater faith in God and dedication to God’s word and law and way.
In any case, they manage to create a stunning picture of faithfulness in an unimaginable and, dare I say it again, horrific way.
Clearly, never to be forgotten.
+ Luke gives us the same story (the “Parable of the Ten Gold Coins”) that we heard last Sunday, in a slightly different version (the “Parable of the Talents”) from Matthew, and with detail differences.
We have a man become king involved, and the same man is not very well liked; gold coins doubled by two and buried by another, and finally the lesson and the punishment, “Take the gold coin from him and give it to the servant who has ten. To everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
Developing the talents, using the gifts, making more of what we have, having the courage to take risks and to become our very best — how many ways can we say it?
To bury, as if dead the person and the personal qualities we have been given, is an unimaginable sin against our very selves.
To lose “the little we have” instead of making the most of it and discovering more and more and more in the story, is deserving of death.
It’s a parable, a teaching story; it, too, makes a lasting impression.
But if this story helps us to see and appreciate our gifts and talents, then Jesus is, indeed, giving us more, giving to us who have.
And to us, God utters such praise-worthy words as his response, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Father Perry Dean Leiker is the 13th pastor of St. Bernard Catholic Church. Reach him at (323) 255-6142. Email Father Perry at pleiker@stbernard-church.com.
