Preparatory Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to know the Gold that God has given me and increase my desire to use it generously, in order to return them developed and multiplied in accord with your Will. Grant me the faith to value your gifts, the hope to invest them wisely and the love to generously do my part to produce fruit and fulfill my mission in life. 

Gospel Passage: Lk 19:11-15  

While they were listening to him speak, he proceeded to tell a parable because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the kingdom of God would appear there immediately. So he said, "A nobleman went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return. He called ten of his servants and gave them ten gold coins and told them, 'Engage in trade with these until I return.' His fellow citizens, however, despised him and sent a delegation after him to announce, 'We do not want this man to be our king.' But when he returned after obtaining the kingship, he had the servants called, to whom he had given the money, to learn what they had gained by trading. 

Imagine the courtyard of the nobleman and his encounter with his ten most trusted servants, of whom I am one. 

1. Return of the King 

Imagine the scene on the return of this great King. With no warning, He enters his Kingdom crowned in royal majesty. The finest and strongest of soldiers accompany him as he slowly parades past his people. So many people look on in wonder, in awe... as though they never realized that he would return in this way. How many are confused and distraught because they were not ready. They have nowhere to hide. The King has come to discover the secrets of their hearts. How many cheer and gladly welcome the Lord back home? How many thought they could live better without him? 

2. Fear of the Lord: The Judgment of Hearts 

The King goes first to see his friends, those to whom he has entrusted the most. It is time to settle accounts. "What did you gain?" he asks them. The first two servants prove to be friends. They have multiplied their gold. Why? How did they manage to raise 100% or even 50% of their trust? His or her secret lies in the heart of each servant. Those who produced did so because they believed they could. Their faith allowed them to do more than they could ever do by themselves. But even more so, they became "good servants" because they feared displeasing their Lord. 

The fear that motivated their efforts came from love. They feared letting down the Lord who had put so much trust in them. Love desires the very best for the beloved and fears giving anything less. `Fear of the Lord' is a positive and fruitful fear, a healthy disposition that inspires me to invest my gold well. We not only fear failing him but failing his love. This "holy fear" centers on the Lord, not on oneself. It is a not wanting to disappoint the Father we love and who loves us so much. 

They have truly become friends, more than servants. They were able to adjust their desires and loves to the desires and loves of their Lord. Even their way of working imitated his, ten produced ten more: "taking up what you did not lay down and harvesting what you did not plant. " I must know the heart and mind of Our Lord in order to better love and serve Him. If I love him, I will work the way he wants me to work and produce what he is expecting of me. 

"Servile fear" is the paralyzing anxiety that contemplates the worst possible outcome for me. This is the fear that keeps the third servant from investing his gold. "I kept it stored away in a handkerchief, for I was afraid of you... " He has not entered into the trust of friendship. In the words of St. John: "There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment, and so one who fears is not yet perfect in love. " (1 Jn. 4:18) 

Nor is the servant ready to take a risk and do more than the minimum. "I was afraid... because you are a demanding person"; a demanding person who is a friend inspires trust not fear. It is the Lord's love that demands that we grow and produce in life. The third, "conservative" servant buries his gold coins under his fears and comfortable life and laziness and self-love. His focus is on himself. Do I store away my gold content just to have it? What kinds of fear effect my use or guarding of my entrusted gold? 

3. A Question of Fidelity 

What joy the King experiences as he hears the reports of the productive servants! "Well done, good servant! You have been faithful in this very small matter; take charge of ten cities. " He delights in the gain made by this servant and friend. Yet even more he rejoices in the fidelity with which his servant has worked. And he rewards fidelity with greater responsibility and trust. In a word, their friendship grows. 

As Christians we have a mission in life. Our mission is to build the Kingdom of God here and now. We see so many people around us who have little understanding of Christ, or who show little love or concern for the values of his Kingdom. I am productive if my faith enkindles faith in others, if my hope engenders hope in others, if my love reproduces love in others. Am I bringing others to Christ with my example, words and works? How creative is my faith, my apostolic desire and zeal? Do I help others live better spiritually as well as materially? 

The greatest ally of fidelity is hope. By hope we tend to desire and focus on those goods of the future that God promises us. Without hope we are left vainly holding on to our lonely gold coin, in a handkerchief that could hold more. We are moved and attracted by so many other strong and immediate goods of this world. Without hope we give in to lesser goods, the ones we can enjoy now, thanks to our own weak efforts. Hope shows us that spiritual and eternal gold is more real and valuable and entirely attainable in Him. Again, hope focuses us on the good Lord and his Kingdom. We trust that the lesser goods that we need will be taken care of meanwhile. "But seek first the Kingdom (of God) and all these things will be given you besides." (Mt. 6:33) From hope comes patience; the Lord will return and will reward our efforts. 

Fidelity requires that I work the Lord's way, not just any way. The product he expects is a multiplication of gifts. For this reason, he has a plan for me, a specific way with which I can serve him: in short, a vocation. Have I understood and embraced this part of my gold? Am I open to anything the Lord may ask of me? Do I make sure in every situation to do what is the most efficient to bring others to Christ, even if it may not be the easier choice for me? Have I helped others to also find their gold in this field? 

4. Lasting Consequences 

The King faithfully rewards the efforts of his servants. While it was his gold and his "grace" that produced the gains, each servant's efforts determine the greater or lesser reward. Fr Marcial Maciel LC expresses it this way: 

"It is immediately, almost intuitively clear that earthly life leads to eternity - at least to those who do not let themselves be blinded by some immanentist ideology. But in addition to this there is a proportion between the way in which we administer our present life and the happiness or unhappiness of our future life. Moreover, the 'degree' of happiness which we will attain in eternity will be proportional to the way in which we have behaved in this world. This means that the reward we receive in the next life will depend on the way in which we have used our time." (Time & Eternity, pp. 12-13) 

The first servant is allowed to keep "his" ten gold coins, which he has earned. In heaven we too will hold on to all the development and perfection of our qualities and gifts. After faith and hope are fulfilled, the most important gift of love (1 Cor 13) will have grown and unite us forever to God. 

An unexpected reward is made of the single coin that the third irresponsible servant hid and is then stripped of. "But they said to him, 'Sir, he has ten gold coins.' 'I tell you, to everyone who has more will be given, but from the one who has not, even the little he has will be taken away.'" (19:25) This clearly applies to our present life where God has already begun to reward us. Our faith if shared with others grows, as John Paul II so often reminds us. Only the faith that is neglected and not shared shrinks and will eventually be lost. 

Another reward, less obvious but just as real, is involved in the administration of those five or ten cities. Just as the servants' investment of gold has made their Lord more wealthy, so too will each be blessed by the growth of the souls in his cities. The Kingdom is built soul by soul, grace by grace. We must bring others to share in the eternal rewards of the Kingdom. Will this not be among our greatest joys and glories, having helped to save souls, bringing them to Christ through our responsible work of faith and love? Though a slow process, it also produces fruit already in this life, in the justice, charity and peace of the families, communities and culture we are helping to build. 

Yet the primary reward is the charge the servant is given of ten cities. Such a responsibility goes far beyond the value of ten coins. Having cared well for the Lord's goods, he is now given a share in the King's reign, i.e. his life and glory. Christ is never outdone in generosity. We cannot even imagine the dimension of the reward that awaits us. It exceeds anything we could merit. Our investment was in time, worked with our own human limitations; yet most of our reward is in eternal currency. Every act of charity, every suffering and sacrifice offered, is an investment in the "bank of the Holy Spirit". 

The most severe sentence is the one given to the King's enemies, those who did not want him as their king. "bring them here and slay them before me." (19:27) How horrible a sentence! How sad and irreversible an end! Yet these were citizens who had freely chosen not to live under their King. They were granted their request. God would not force them. In fact, he had already died in their hearts. And since God is life, they had already died spiritually. We must guard against mediocrity, indifference and all that lessens our sharing God's life and work. 

Questionnaire: To help you to examine your life, in the light of the inspirations God just gave you in these moments you shared with him. 

1. What kind of fear dominates my life and apostolic efforts: holy fear of the Lord or servile fear? 

2. Do I have a clear idea of God's plan and expectations for my life? 

3. Am I more concerned about being faithful than about "doing things"? Do I trust that he will bless my fidelity? 

4. Do I believe in, and with heartfelt desire ask God for his rewards? Do I ask for the grace of final perseverance? 

5. What rewards has God already granted me here? Has my faith been productive? How? 

6. Do I pray as though it depends on God, but work as though it depends on me?