A Poem a Sunday

Pentecost 24 - A

November 19, 2017

Matthew 25:14-30 - NRSV

The Parable of the Talents

14 “For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; 15 to one he gave five talents,[a] to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. 17 In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. 18 But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20 Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.’ 21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ 22 And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.’ 23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’ 24 Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.’ 26 But his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents. 29 For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 30 As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Footnotes:

[a] Matthew 25:15 A talent was worth more than fifteen years’ wages of a laborer

A Poem a Sunday

Pentecost 24 - A 

Talent Story

The estate is willed to the church

as the bell tolls

and the funeral pall

covers the golden casket

going out in style.

A smile emerges

from the moderator

during the

mile drive

to the cemetery:

“Why, now we’re safe

and will have our place

of worship – God’s house.”

Institutional inertia,

risk free churches

hoard in the ground

dead widows’ purses.

Steeples are safe

but no longer sanctuaries.

Churches survive

but are no longer alive

in golden caskets

going out in style.

A pall of fog

covers the colonial structure

as the bell tolls

for the last time

and a few decline

to the vacant lot

having spent

the last dime

paving the blacktop.

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