"_He that had received the five talents went his way and traded with the
same and gained other five._" He lost no time, he loved his Master and
he loved the "goods" because they belonged to his Master and because
they had been lent by Him. The whole of their value lay in the fact that
they were the Master's; he felt responsible, he must not only take care
of them but put them to the best account, and so he set to work at once
to trade with them, and he did well, for he gained _cent per cent_!
"_And in like manner he that had received the two gained other two._"
There was no jealousy, no thinking the Master partial or that He had
underrated his powers in only giving him _two_ talents. He loved and
trusted his Master; the two talents were very precious because they were
His and because He had chosen them out with such love and care, giving
the servant just what he could manage, no more and no less. He went and
traded and did as well as the first, _cent per cent_.
Thus the good servants, that is those who love, who have said, I _will_
not go out free, are always trading for their Master. They say to
themselves: This talent, this time, this opportunity, this health, this
strength belongs to my Master not to me, I must use it for Him. They
forget sometimes; the Master is so long away and they act as if the
goods were their own, and even trade with them for their own profit,
using their talents to attract people to themselves rather than to their
Master! But as they really love Him and want to "trade" for Him only,
they see the dishonesty of their trading and they do their best by acts
of reparation to restore to Him His own. When He comes back, He will not
expect perfection but _effort_. Some, He says, will gain "a hundred
fold" but for our consolation and encouragement He adds: "some
sixtyfold, and some thirtyfold" (St. Matt. XIII. 8).
"_But he that had received the one, going his way digged into the earth,
and hid his lord's money._" He lost no time either, his mind was made up
at once, he would take no trouble, make no effort, would hide his
Master's talent and forget all about it; he wanted no responsibility, he
could not be troubled with "trading." His Master could not expect much
from him, he argued, because he had entrusted so little to him, he knew
he was not capable of doing _much_, but he would do nothing at all. He
did not waste or spoil his Master's goods, his sin was one of
_omission_--you did it _not_ to Me. He dug in the earth instead of
laying up treasure in Heaven.