Pastor's Reflection - November 15, 2026

Being A Fruitful Christian

In the parable of the talents, Jesus tells of a master who entrusts his servants with different amounts before leaving on a journey. When he returns, he asks what they have done with what they were given. The first two servants put their talents to work and were fruitful; the third buried his.

The parable reminds us that we have all been entrusted with gifts and abilities. They may differ from one person to another, but each can be used for the kingdom of God. Our time, skills, resources, compassion, and words can all become ways of serving God and loving our neighbors. The question is not whether we have been given something, but how we will use it.

Fruitfulness calls for generosity and resourcefulness. The faithful servants did not hide what they had received; they put it to work. We, too, are invited to offer our gifts freely and look for creative ways to use them. We need not wait until we feel perfectly prepared or have more than we need. God can work through what we have when we place it in his hands.

The third servant gives a reason for burying his talent: he saw his master as harsh and demanding and acted out of fear. A distorted picture of God can make us hesitant, guarded, and unwilling to take the faithful risks that love sometimes asks of us. When we believe God is against us, we may hide our gifts instead of offering them.

Satan seeks to distort God’s character and persuade us that we are on our own, that God is not for us. But Scripture tells us otherwise: “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear” (1 John 4:18). God’s love frees us to serve with courage, not anxiety; with trust, not a spirit of fear.

So let us ask God to help us see him truly as loving and faithful, and to recognize the gifts he has entrusted to us. Then let us use them generously and resourcefully, for the good of others and the growth of his kingdom. May we hear the master’s welcome: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

In Christ,

Fr. James Northrop, Pastor