We see more of the scenes of heaven in our first reading today from Revelation 4. In the Gospel reading from Luke 19, Jesus tells a parable about a nobleman who goes off and leaves gold coins with ten of his servants.
He gives them this instruction: "Engage in trade with these with these until I return." One gets a 10X return and is rewarded accordingly. Another gets a 5X return and is rewarded. The last simply returns the coin, saying, "I kept it stored away in a handkerchief..." The master removed the coin from him and gave it to the one who got the 10X return.
I believe this story is not entirely about a lack of investment strategy. Rather, it is about following the master's orders. The last man did not engage in trade at all, out of fear. What if he had engaged in trade, but flopped, and lost the master's coin? Would he have been punished? I can't say, but I like to think not. And maybe this is part of the lesson for us. We must take the gifts given to us and "engage in trade." As in, use them to build up the Kingdom. Sometimes we may fumble. But at least we would be obeying the master's command.
Father, help us to "engage in trade" with the gifts you have given us. May our efforts be profitable to the Kingdom. Amen.
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I think we are called to realize that our efforts, however small or imperfect we think they might be, will be blessed by God when we act in faith. I have always struggled with fear and self-doubt but God has always blessed me when I stepped forward with trust in His help. This has lessened my fear and self-doubt a great deal and allowed me to serve in ways that I formerly thought to be impossible.