This sermon discusses reinterpreting the parable of the talents from the Gospel in a new light. Looking at the cultural context of the time, the master who gave money to his servants could be seen as a "loan shark" who wanted to increase his own wealth through usury. The third servant who buried his talent was actually being honorable by not taking advantage of others. The sermon argues we should use our talents not to increase wealth or consumption but to serve others, especially those in need. A story is told of a village that was abandoned because the son with the talent of dancing failed to use it to lift the villagers' spirits during a hard winter. The sermon concludes we will be judged based on whether we

1. 18 November 2017 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Princeton, NJ
Over the years we have heard this Gospel many times and on the surface its message seems fairly clear about
our need to use and multiply our talents to our fullest ability – unlike the third servant who buried his. But of
course, this being a parable, it is never that simple. For if you look at this first century story, using insight from
current scripture scholars, with a sympathetic eye towards the third slave and recognize the master for what he
is, a very different story unfolds.
To do so, we need to take our capitalist ideals and put them aside – and acknowledge that the goal in life is not
about how much wealth we can amass or the amount of natural resources we can consume. For the world in
which this parable was told had the belief of limited wealth. Which means that the culture of that time thought
that there was only so much wealth that existed and that the only way to increase yours was to take away from
another. Therefore the honorable goal in one’s life was to only satisfy the needs of one’s family, not to amass or
consume more than that thereby taking away from others.
Looking at this parable from this perspective, it is the Master who is the wicked one who gave significant
amounts of money to his servants in order to greedily increase his own personal wealth. In those days it was
called usury, which was forbidden in the Old Testament. Today we would call it “loan sharking.”
Therefore the third servant is not wicked, except in the eyes of those who are greedy, rather he is honorable as
he decides to safeguard the money given to him, not take advantage of others and in doing so blows the whistle
on his Master – the one who “harvested where he did not plant and gathered what he did not scatter.”
This gives us new insight into an old parable. But how does this benefit us today? Unlike the gifts given by the
Master, the gifts we receive from God are gifts of grace – they are freely given, not earned and given in
abundance to all people. But for what purpose?
The answer comes from this 25th
chapter of Matthew where we find Jesus giving his followers his final words of
warning as it relates to the final judgment day. Last week we heard the reminder to stay awake for we do not
know which day the Lord will come. Then today’s parable about the use of talent and lastly, as we will hear next
week, a discourse on how we will be judged on that last day.
And it is this last section, on how we will be judged, that is the key to opening up today’s parable of the wisdom
of the third servant, as it answers the question for whom do we use our talents…for Matthew is very
straightforward on the criteria that will be used on our judgment day. That on that day all we will be asked is
this: Did we use our gifts and act with deeds of mercy for others, but not just for any others – but for the least of
our brothers and sisters. Did we feed the hungry, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger, care for the sick, and
visit those imprisoned? Did we use our gifts not focusing on amassing self-worth, but to actively use our talents
for those in need?
Maybe the best way to look at this parable is through the eyes of another story that brings clarity to the use of
our gifts.
There was once a village chief who had three sons, each with a special talent. The oldest had the talent of
raising olive trees and would trade the oil for tools and cloth. The second was a shepherd: and when the sheep
were ill he had a great talent for making them well again. The third was a dancer: when there was a streak of bad
luck in the family or when everyone was bored during the hard winters, this son would cheer them up and
dance.
Before the father left on a long journey he called his sons together and said, "My sons, the villagers are
depending on the special talent each of you have for helping people. So, while I am gone, see to it that you
use your talents as wisely and well as possible so that when I return I will find our village even more happy
and prosperous than it is now." He embraced his sons and departed.
For a while things went well. Then the cold winter winds began to blow, and the snows came. First, the buds
on the olive trees shrank and cracked, dooming the trees to a long recovery. Then because of the especially
1 Deacon Jim Knipper

2. long winter, the village ran out of firewood. So the people began to cut down the trees but in the process they
were denuding and destroying the village. Even though the first son did not want to see the trees cut down,
he knew the villagers needed heat to survive, and so he helped them make firewood from his beloved olive
trees.
Then, too, the snow and ice made it impossible for the traders to come up the river or over the mountain
pass. So the villagers said, "Let us kill the sheep and eat them so we do not starve to death." The second
son refused for a time, but finally had to give in to the hungry villagers. His remark was, "What good would it
be to spare the sheep only to have the villagers perish?"
In this way, the villagers had just enough wood for their fires and food for their tables, but the bitter winter
had broken their spirits. They began to think that things were really worse than they were, and they began to
lose all hope. So much so, that family by family deserted the village in search of a more hospitable
environment.
As spring began to loosen the icy grip of winter, the father returned to find smoke rising only from his
chimney. "What have you done?" he asked when he reached his house and spoke to his sons. "What has
happened to the villagers?" "Oh, father, forgive me," said the oldest son. "The people were freezing and
begged me to cut down the olive trees and so I did. I gave away my talent. I am no longer fit to be an orchard
keeper." The second son said: "Don't be angry, father. The sheep would have frozen to death anyway, and
the people were starving, so I had to send my flock to the slaughter."
But the father understood and said, "Don't be ashamed, my sons, you did the best you could and you
acted rightly and humanely for the good of others. You used your talents wisely in trying to save the people.
But, tell me, what has become of them? Where are they?"
The two brothers fixed their eyes on the third son who said, "Welcome home, father. Yes, it has been a
hard time. There was so little to eat and so little firewood, I thought that it would be insensitive and improper
to dance during such suffering. Besides, I needed to conserve my strength so that I could dance for you
when you came home."
"Then, dance, my son," said the father, "for my village is empty and so is my heart. Fill it with joy and
courage once again. Yes, please dance!" But as the third son went to get up, he made a face of pain and fell
down. His legs were so stiff and sore from sitting that they were no longer fit for dancing. The father was so
sad that he could not even be angry. He simply said to the third son:
"Ours was a strong village. It could have survived the want of fuel and food, but it could never survive
without hope. And because you failed to use your talent wisely and well, for the good of our people – they
gave up what little hope they had – and left. So now? Now the village is deserted and you are crippled. Your
punishment has already fallen upon you." And with these words he embraced his three sons and wept.
My sisters and brothers – today’s Gospel reminds us that no matter what challenges and hardships and pain we
are facing in our lives we are all called to unfold our legs and to dance. Versus hoarding our talents to increase
our self-worth, we are use the gifts we have to serve others – thus to bring love and hope to those who have
none. For on our judgment day we are told that God will ask the following of us:
Did you take the gifts and graces that I gave you and did you: feed my sheep, tend my flock? …Did you see me,
welcome me, clothe me, feed me, hold me, care for me, visit me, comfort me, embrace me and remain in ME
so that you could bear much fruit? – Me – “I Am, Who Am” – the one who is found in each of you, in those
around you, in those so different from you and in the very least of you.
My only question?…is how will you and I answer our Lord?
2 Deacon Jim Knipper