There are talents and talents. To use what God has given you for a good cause must surely rank as the greatest of talents.

Life is God’s gift, and He wants us to use it well. Not only is God our Creator, He endows us with talents which He wants us to use responsibly. Never dim your talent, no matter how small. Bring it to light so you and others can benefit from it.

The parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14–30) tells the story of the master (He represents God) who gives five talents, two talents, and one talent to three different people to be used responsibly. The two who received five and two talents doubled their value. But the one who received one talent played it safe, and buried his talent in the ground. When the day of reckoning came round, the master praised the first two for doubling their talents but had harsh words for the one who produced nothing from what he was given. That is why the Lord says, “For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away” (Matthew 25:29).

If you don’t use it you lose it, is a wise maxim. Every talent, no matter how small, has a purpose. Arthur F. Miller has written a powerful book on ‘The power of Uniqueness’ which challenges everyone to discover their own talents because everybody is gifted in some way. The important thing is to discover your talent, to delight in it and to develop it. Whatever your talent is, it should not be hoarded or kept hidden. You must let it shine. “You are the light of the world,” says the Lord, and your “light should not be hidden under a bushel basket, but placed where everyone can see it” (Matthew 5:14–1). 

The parable of the talents teaches us that we are put on earth for a purpose, to use what we have to make the world a better place. The Lord does not want us to hide our talents, to sit back and wait for something to happen. We are asked to use our talents to the best of our ability. Had the third servant, who received just one talent, made the most of what he received, he could have doubled it like his counterparts. Our job is not to compare our talents to those of others, but to make the most of what the Lord has given us.

The problem with the person who received just one talent, was that he was afraid to develop it according to his capacity and share it. So, he kept it hidden. Holding out or playing  it safe may seem like the best approach in today’s terrifying world. We’ve all been the third servant at some point in our lives. How often have you failed to speak up for someone who is falsely accused? Have you spared yourself the effort of standing up for the gospel truth when it was easier to go along with falsehood? Have you failed to come to the aid of someone in need? You don’t have to look far to do this. How do you treat those near and close to you? Do you take them for granted, or do you try to raise their spirits when they are down? The list goes on. Sometimes it feels like you can get away with such behavior, but isn’t that exactly what the third servant thought? The message of the parable is that you will be held accountable for your actions or lack thereof, for your sins of commission or omission.

Your talents are not for you alone. They are given for the benefit of others. God blessed you with your talent or talents for the joy you may give in return. Even the smallest thing  can make a big difference. Whatever your talent is, no matter how small or large, you are responsible for developing it, sharing it, and passing it along.

This is how your talent increases and multiplies. 

—Fr. Hugh Duffy