How Exacting A Judgment! (Transfiguration)

Homily - How Exacting A Judgment! (Transfiguration)

Opening Move: The purpose of the parable of the Talents 

The purpose of the parable is to show how exact an account Christ will require from the slothful in the Day of Judgment; 

• and how great will be the reward which He will give to the diligent, who have carefully used His gifts to the glory of God. 

The MAN is Christ. 

• For Christ went a long journey when He ascended into Heaven, being about to be absent a long time from earth and His Church. 

The TALENTS are all the gifts of God, without which we can do nothing. These gifts are...

• 1st. Of grace, both making grateful,* such as faith, hope, charity, virginity, and all the other virtues, as well as those of grace given gratis—such as the power of working miracles, the Apostolate, the Priesthood, the gift of tongues, prophecy, &c. 

• 2d. Natural gifts, such as a keen intellect, a sound judgment, a sound constitution, prudence, industry, learning, eloquence. 

• 3d. External goods and gifts, as honours, riches, rank, &c. 

For all these things God distributes unequally, according to His good pleasure. 

• And with this end in view, that each should use them for God’s glory, and the good of himself and others. For so He will increase them, both by Himself ...and also in merit and reward. 

• For to that man there will be added crowns and coronets celestial, as of virginity, martyrdom. Moreover, there is no man who hath not received one, ay, several of these gifts of God, though one hath more, another less.

• For in proportion as gifts are increased, so is the account to be rendered of the gifts.”

Dear Friends: 

In recent news, you and I have been told of a certain man who was given the graces of....

• The diaconate
• The priesthood 
• The episcopate, and
• The cardinalate...

And, the natural gifts of...

• An affable spirit;
• Of a articulate tongue; and
• The ability to raise great sums of money!

But, who used these talents so that he acquire...

• Many occasions for his indulgence in perverse pleasures;

We are told that he used these God-given talents to...

• Ravaged many sons of God called to the Priesthood of Jesus Christ;
• And insinuate the poison of perversity into their souls;

And that he may have used his talent for raising money to...

• Blackmail many in order to maintain his access to the sons called to priesthood; and
• Secure places of honor for similarly wicked men!

Dearest Friends:

We should fear for his soul!

• For our Lord will return from the far country and
• Give him his reward!

But, friends, his misuse of his talents should be a clarion call to each of us to use the talents entrusted to us with diligence!

• Husbands 
• Wives
• Virgin Children 
• Those with gratitude wealth;
• Or intellect;

Concluding Move: How Exacting A Judgment!

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Sources:

Cornelius à Lapide. (1891). 

The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide: S. Matthew’s Gospel,Chaps. 22-28 and S. Mark’s Gospel. (T. W. Mossman, Trans.) (Third Edition, Vol. 3, pp. 120–145). London: John Hodges.

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Gospel: Matthew 25:14–30

14 “For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property; 15 to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more. 17 So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, ‘Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow; 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master answered him, ‘You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.’