'Lord, Lord, open to us.-"Not everyone who saith Lord, Lord." They often addressed Him during life-now, alas! He says: 8I know you not.-He knows them not as his spouses or companions of the future. Watch ye therefore.-The virgins went asleep! Yes, but the watching means to make provision for death in the time of health and sickness, and then you can trim your lamp when He comes. 17. "Similiter et qui duo acceperat lucratus est alia duo. 18. "Qui autem unum acceperat, abiens, fodit in terram et abscondit pecuniam domini sui. 19. "Post multum verò temporis, venit dominus servorum illorum, et posuit rationem cum eis. 20. "Et accedens qui quinque talenta acceperat, obtulit alia quinque talenta,dicens: Domine, quinque talenta tradidisti mihi: ecce alia quinque superlucratus sum. 21. "Ait illi dominus ejus: Euge, serve bone et fidelis: quia super pauca fuisti fidelis, super multa te constituam: intra in gaudium domini tui. 22. "Accessit autem et qui duo talento acceperat, et ait: Domine, duo talenta tradidisti mihi: ecce alia duo lucratus sum. 23. "Ait illi dominus ejus : Euge, serve bone et fidelis: quia super pauca fuisti fidelis, super multa te constituam : intra in gaudium domini tui. 17. And in like manner he that had received the two, gained other two. 18. But he that had received 'the one, going his way, digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. 19. But after a long time the lord of those servants came, and reckoned with them. 20. And he that had received the five talents, coming, brought other five talents, saying: Lord, thou deliveredst to me five talents: behold I have gained other five over and above. 21. His lord said to him: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant; because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 22. And he also that had received the two talents, came and said: Lord, thou deliveredst two talents to me: behold, I have gained other two. 23. His lord said to him: Well done, good and faithful servant; because thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will set thee over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy lord. This parable begins without the usual preface, "The kingdom of heaven is like unto," but the sense is that it refers primarily to those who have received special talents or graces from God— bishops, priests, magistrates, scholars, etc. All do not receive the same gifts, nor are your gifts always in proportion to your seeming abilities, yet they are such as you can manage. It belongs secondarily to all Christians who have gifts from God-such as wealth, position, beauty, ingenuity, cleverness, etc. These were not given us to bury, but to trade with. This is one of the most remarkable parables in the Gospel. S. Luke gives one something like it. 1A man going into a far country.-The custom in the East was that slaves traded with their masters' money and gave them a small share of the profits for its use. Our Lord goes into a far or strange country when He brings His humanity into heaven, where such a thing never was before. Proper ability.-What he judged the man would be able to manage. 3Those who got five and two made double the amount. 4He that got one talent buried it. After a long time.-At death or Judgment. Well done. Both seem to get the same amount of praise and the same reward. Each did his best and that is quite enough. All do not get the same gifts. S. Gregory says that the talents are: The five are the senses and superficial ones. The two, intellect and activity. The one, intellectus tantum! 24. "Accedens autem et qui unum talentum acceperat, ait: Domine, scio quia homo durus es; metis ubi non siminâsti, et congregas ubi non sparsisti. 25. "Et timens abii et abscondi talentum tuum in terrâ: ecce habes quod tuum est. 26. "Respondens autem dominus ejus, dixit ei: Serve male et piger, sciebas, quia meto ubi non semino, et congrego ubi non sparsi? 27. "Oportuit ergò te committere pecuniam meam numulariis, et veniens ego recepissem utiquè quod meum est cum usurâ. 28. "Tollite itaquè ab eo talentum, et date ei qui habet decem talenta : 29. "Omni enim habenti dabitur, et abundabit; ei autem qui non habet, et quod videtur habere auferetur ab eo. 30. "Et inutilem servum ejicite in tenebras exteriores : illic erit fletus et stridor dentium. 25. And being afraid, I went, and hid thy talent in the earth: behold, here thou hast that which is thine. 26. And his lord, answering, said to him: "Thou evil and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sow not, and gather where I have not strewed: 27. Thou oughtest, therefore, to have committed my money to the 'bankers: and at my coming I should have received my own with usury. 28. "Take ye away, therefore, the talent from him, and give it him that hath ten talents. 29. For to every one that hath shall be given; and he shall abound; but from him that hath not, that also which he seemeth to have shall be taken away. 30. And the unprofitable servant cast ye out into the exterior darkness. "There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This portion of the parable has reference to the lazy members of God's Church. None are so insolent and none so self-sufficient. We find all sorts of servants getting quarter in the Gospel. The unjust steward; the prodigal; the unmerciful servant; all except the lazy one. darkness. He is bound hand and foot and cast into exterior There is a grand lesson conveyed here. Some are afraid to enter the ministry or to use their talents when in it, through a sense of bashfulness or an idea that there is no call for them. Even some think perfection consists in doing as little as possible and that little well. Our Lord points out that it is better to dare a good deal even though one may fail occasionally. 1One talent. It was wisdom in the master not to give him more as they would all be left barren. I knew that thou wert. He is insolent and defends himself in a very selfish manner. 2That which is thine.-Here is your talent and what more do you want? He is self-justified at all events. 3Thou evil and slothful servant.—The Lord admits his imputations for argument's sake; but then he tells him that he knew that and should be prepared. *Bankers. Some defend usury from this; but a parable is not a foundation so much as an illustration of a point of moral law. "Take away from him.-This is given to the man that had ten. faithful servants get the rewards which the idlers ought to earn. "There shall be weeping.-The usual punishment. The |