Scripture Scribbles: November 19, 2023

the Gospel

Mathew 25:14-30

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.'"

the devotion

I was walking along the river in Newburyport. It was gray and cold that early morning and freezing rain peppered the placid water.

That particular spot by the water is one I visited often in the difficult period when my husband and I were trying to conceive our first child. It took a long time for us. I would cry and hope for the next cycle in that spot. Being there this frozen morning awakened those memories and that aching desire.

In those days, I didn’t know Jesus the way I do now. I didn’t know that I could trust him. Or that he could or would answer my questions and speak to me through sacred scripture and the details of my life.

But now I do. So on this frozen morning, I turned over those memories and that deep desire for a big family to him. 

This is a good time to tell you I want a lot. I have a lot of desires. Related, I also have a powerful ability to envision what could be and great endurance and capability to pursue and achieve what I envision. I have most often applied this to my own ambitions - planning my future, my job in e-commerce, my family, etc.

For the past few weeks I have been praying for God to purify my desires. He has been answering those prayers. I picked up the conversation with Jesus that morning. In the frozen rain, aching for more, I prayed, “Jesus, will you show me your vision for me and give me the grace to desire it? I want it to replace my small desires. I want to ponder your vision as I fall asleep and when I wake up. I want it to be my constant prayer, the thing that occupies and excites me and fills my mind and heart.”

A few hours later, tucked into a warm coffee shop with my laptop and today’s Gospel, the Holy Spirit showed me something I have never seen before: this gift of vision I have is a talent with which I have been entrusted.

The Holy Spirit also pointed out that that morning, in the frozen rain, is the first time I have ever offered it to the Lord to increase his kingdom. Up until then, I have been the servant who buries her talent in the ground.

The servants who invest their talents know why they have been entrusted with the talents. They know their master’s vision, they know what is important to him.

And it isn’t safe keeping.

The talents are for growing the kingdom, for bearing fruit. Everything we are and have is for this purpose.

Dear friends, this is such good news. Everything I am and have is a gift given on purpose to me for a purpose. I do not have to act out of fear or for self-preservation or self-interest. I can instead act out of trust in the Lord and knowledge of him. I can draw close to him and offer everything I am and have to him, including this talent.

Remain in me as I remain in you, says the Lord.
Whoever remains in me bears much fruit.

(Jn 15:4a, 5b Alleluia)

Today’s devotion is written by Lucia Parker