Gospel: Luke 19:11-28

 

The Gospel today presents the parable of the talents in which Jesus speaks of the gifts that persons receive from God. All persons have some qualities, we all learn from one another.

 

The third servant has a mistaken idea of God, which is criticized by Jesus. The servant considers God a severe master. Before such a God, the human being is afraid and hides himself behind the exact and the poor observance of the law.

 

He thinks that by acting this way, he will not be punished severely by the ruler. In reality, such a person does not believe in God, but believes only in self and in his observance of the law. He closes himself up in self. He draws away from God and is not concerned about others. He becomes incapable of growth as a free person.

 

This false image of God isolates the human being, kills the community, extinguishes joy and impoverishes life.

 

One of the things which greatly influence a person’s life is his image of God. Pharisees, imagined God as a severe judge who treated them according to the merits gained by observance of the Law. This caused fear and prevented people from growing.  Above all, it prevented them from opening a space within themselves to accept the new experience of God which Jesus communicated.