Closed in selfishness

Jesus said to the crowd, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand? For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open. If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.” “Consider carefully what you hear,” he continued. “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you—and even more. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.” (Mark 4, 21-25)

God's gifts are not given to be enjoyed totally by themselves, but to be multiplied by sharing them with others. When Jesus says in the Gospel that whoever does not have will be deprived of what he has, it should be understood in the sense that he who has received talents from God but does not use them will lose everything. When that particular person finds himself in God's presence, he will be treated more harshly than those whom God has given fewer gifts but have put them to good use. Let us strive not to end up like those who do not use God's gifts and who, closed in their selfishness, end up not having the hundredfold promised by Jesus.