A man goes on a journey. Before he leaves, he summons three servants and entrusts them with the management of his property.
It’s in the form of talents, money. To one he gives a lot: five talents. To another, two talents; to the third, one talent. Each, Jesus says, is given according to his ability.
The question is, what to do next? How to exercise faithful responsibility?
Jesus is talking to a group of people about how to face the most critical and dangerous week of their entire lives. He’s about to be arrested, tried, and executed, and he seems to know it. They will be on their own. He’s been their leader. Now they will be in charge. He wants desperately for them to know about responsibility, dominion.
From the very beginning of our faith tradition, responsibility has defined our humanity. And when things go wrong, as they frequently do, more often than not it is because someone has failed to be responsible, to take responsibility, to exercise faithful dominion.
Dr. Willy L Mafuta Pastor,
Hopewell United Methodist Church, Hopewell, NJ 08525