Gospel Reading for August 30, 2025 – Matthew 25: 14-30
ONLY ONE
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.'”
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A line from a song of Jose Mari Chan says it all: “it’s not so much what we have as how we use what we have in our lifetime.” There are those of us who envy what others have, comparing them with what we have and wishing we have what they have, or there are those who think others have more and we have little, hence, end up not doing anything with even a little of what we have.
We are given only some time (we don’t know how much) to use whatever gifts we have to make a contribution to humanity. One thing we always have to remember is: WE ARE CREATED TO GIVE. No one is created for him/herself. Human beings, being made in God’s image and likeness, are meant to make a difference in this world by giving the very best of ourselves in love for others and everything created by him. We have ONLY ONE LIFETIME to do this. ONLY ONE.
Lord, may we always glorify you with the gifts you have given us!
