The parable of the talents is an explicit invitation by Christ to traffic His gifts for the sake of the Kingdom, that they may bear abundant fruit, and not to "hide" them out of fear.
In the Sources we find confirmation of how Francis and Clare were keen to recognise and make fruitful the gifts (talents) received from the Most High with courage and self-denial.
In fact, finding themselves one day, together with St. Dominic, in the house of the Cardinal of Ostia, Francis spoke thus about his brothers:
"Lord, my brothers for this very reason are called Minors, so that they do not presume to become majors.
The very name teaches them to remain lowly and to follow in the footsteps of Christ's humility [...].
If you want them to bear fruit in the Church of God, keep them and preserve them in the state of their vocation" (FF 732).
And Clare, in one of her letters to her spiritual daughter Agnes of Bohemia expresses herself thus:
"I give thanks to the Author of Grace, from whom, as we believe, comes every supreme good and every perfect gift".
Furthermore, in his beautiful Testament:
"Indeed, the Lord himself has placed us as a model, an example and a mirror not only for other men, but also for our sisters, those whom the Lord himself has called to follow our vocation, so that they too may shine as a mirror and example for all those who live in the world" (FF 2829).
Both have committed themselves to make the special talents bestowed by the Father of mercies bear fruit in their lives and in the lives of their sons and daughters, so that the benefits derived may be for the benefit of each and all.
"For unto every one that hath, it shall be given, and it shall abound; but from him that hath not, even that which he hath shall be taken away" (Mt 25:29).
Saturday of the 21st wk. in O.T. (Mt 25:14-30)
