With the coming Sunday, the Liturgical Year, will come to an end. Jesus Christ, the King! This last but one Sunday, on one hand we need to keep in mind that time passes, and hence the end of all shall come, while on the other, we still have something to do in the time between.

St. Paul reminds us of the final moment. It’s wisdom to remember it. The one who keeps in mind the coming of the Lord is to be watchful and committed in his love for Him. Jesus Himself has always recommended to His disciples a continuous vigilance, and the temperance to be awake and ready.

The one who takes time only to consider the things of this world can easily be deceived. When we think and all goes well, we find new problems, new challenges, new contradictions that put to test our patience, our wisdom, and above all, our faith! Even in these last years we have had various occasions to understand how fragile is our peace and our security. The effects of the sin of man will continue to make humanity suffer! With technology and politics, men have succeeded to ease some problems, but how many more came out to disturb the imagined peace! We can never take for granted vigilance! What are we to do as we wait for the end of time, or better, as we wait for the return of the Lord?

This is what Jesus teaches us! With today’s parable, He tells us of two ways by which men live the time that separates us from the end. There is the one who considers himself servant of his lord and commits himself wholly for him, to do his interests, to satisfy his desires. There is also the one who forgets his being a servant, forgets or ignores the Lord’s expectations and commits himself in person matters.

The parable speaks of a man, a lord, who hands out his riches to his servants before a prolonged absence. He shows his great trust in them. He doesn’t hand out the same amount of riches to all in the same quantity, keeping in mind each and every one’s ability for he knows them well and doesn’t want to give to anyone more than one can really handle.

Some of them behaved wisely, even more, as friends of their lord, they committed themselves with all their abilities! One, instead, didn’t want any trouble, want to even forget that he is a servant: he hides the wealth received to manage so that he can busy himself with his own affairs.

With the return of the lord, it’s time to do accounts. Those who were faithful receive an excessively and unexpectedly reward. The lord is not a lord for them anymore, but a generous friend. They receive more than they were able to administer. The one who thought only of himself is excluded not only from getting any reward, but also from an enjoyable life.

Thus Jesus forsees the end. It’s Him who goes on a journey! It’s Him who returns! It’s Him who trusts His wealth to His servants. It’s Him again who shall reward or exclude the one who didn’t love Him and instead lived up to his egoism.

We are still left with a question. What is Jesus trying to say when He speaks of the talents entrusted to the servants? Is He talking of the riches of this world? Is He talking of intelligent abilities or working abilities? Jesus excludes none. But it comes to think that the precious treasures which He owns and gives us are those that help to enlighten our lives to be more like His: faith, love, hope, fear of God! If we had to work out daily these treasures for the Kingdom of Heaven, even the rest, like health, energies, intelligence, memory, can be precious instruments that are to grow and be manifested.

The Book of Proverbs want to help us too as It presents to us an example of a perfect woman: in her hands she holds means to work and the goods of this world help to manifest the fear of God, charity, faith and to give hope and joy to those who are near!