Parable of the gold coins
M Mons. Vincenzo Paglia
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Gospel (Lk 19,11-28) - At that time, Jesus told a parable, because he was near Jerusalem and they thought that the kingdom of God would manifest itself at any moment. He therefore said: «A man of a noble family left for a distant country, to receive the title of king and then return. Calling ten of his servants, he gave them ten gold coins, saying: "Let them profit until I return." But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him to say: "We do not want this man to come and reign over us." »After receiving the title of king, he returned and called those servants to whom he had given the money, to find out how much each had earned. The first one showed up and said: "Sir, your gold piece has brought in ten." He said to him: «Well done, good servant! Since you have shown yourself faithful in little, you receive power over ten cities." Then the second one showed up and said: "Sir, your gold piece has brought in five." To this also he said: "You too will be in charge of five cities." Then another came and said: «Lord, here is your gold coin, which I have kept hidden in a handkerchief; I was afraid of you, who are a severe man: take what you did not put in deposit and reap what you did not sow." He replied: «By your own words I judge you, wicked servant! You knew that I am a severe man, that I take what I have not put in deposit and reap what I have not sown: why then did you not give my money to a bank? Upon my return I would have collected it with interest." »He then said to those present: «Take the gold coin from him and give it to the one who has ten». They answered him: "Sir, he already has ten!". «I say to you: To whom he has, it will be given; instead, from those who do not have, even what they have will be taken away. And those enemies of mine, who did not want me to become their king, bring them here and kill them in front of me." Having said these things, Jesus walked ahead of everyone going up towards Jerusalem.

The commentary on the Gospel by Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia

Jesus, surrounded by a large crowd, is at the end of the journey and is about to enter Jerusalem. Some believe the time has come for the manifestation of the kingdom of God in the holy city. Most people expect an event of a political nature. But Jesus wants to remove any illusion in this sense and he tells a parable about how one must await the kingdom of heaven. It is therefore about a noble man who leaves for a distant country to receive royal dignity. Before leaving, however, he entrusts ten servants with a gold coin each so that they can make money on it during his absence. We can compare the master of the parable to Jesus himself. He entrusts to his disciples the very precious "golden coin" which is his Gospel. It is a priceless gift that should not be kept for oneself nor should it be kept in one's small or large "handkerchief". The Gospel is delivered to the disciples so that they can communicate it to men wherever they are and, in this way, the kingdom of love and peace that Jesus came to inaugurate on earth among men may hasten and expand. The master's gesture of giving the talent that remained unfruitful to the first servant indicates the great desire that the Gospel be communicated to everyone and with the greatest possible promptness. This is why Jesus says at the end of the parable: «To whom he has, he will be given; instead, from anyone who he does not have, even what he has will be taken away." It is not possible to follow Jesus without communicating the Gospel, without communicating love everywhere in the world. This is how it is with love: if we don't love we lose it.