Breaking the Word

From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, "God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you." He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do." Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life? For the Son of Man will come with his angels in his Father's glory, and then he will repay everyone according to his conduct. (Mt 16:21-27)

Jesus presents himself as a model (he began to show his disciple). His life is a life spent for the others. This is lived by making a journey to Jerusalem and suffering greatly at the hand of the elders, chief priests, and the scribes. (These are the people who exercise power over people. They exercise power over religious beliefs, cultural beliefs, social beliefs). Jesus shows that he will stand against these powers and the powerful will destroy him but God will raise him up.

Peter presents himself as a representative of the people who want to live in this world and be in this world. This is the reason Jesus tells his disciples:  “whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. What profit would there be for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Or what can one give in exchange for his life?”. People in the world want to hold on to life at any expense and want to possess the world by any means.

Jesus not only presents himself as a model but also demands from his followers the same way of life. He says: "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me”. His disciples are asked to deny life (a life that is attached to earthly things), and pick up their crosses (their goals, mission and all the means attached in fulfilling this mission) and follow after him (every disciple of Jesus has his own Jerusalem to reach to and his own Calvary to climb up to).

"It will be as when a man who was going on a journey called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents; to another, two; to a third, one– to each according to his ability. Then he went away. …

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. And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'  (Mt 25:14-30 ) 

The master of the story is a wealthy man. He does not work on his own but he has workers under him who work for him. He gives work to his servants and then he comes only to see their work and the earning they have made out of what he has give and then he rewards them according to their work. The story seems to be normal in any place except for the reward.

The first two servants have done their work well and they have earned more, though according to their talents. They have made efforts and made more out of what they have received. But the rewards they receive seem to be different from what one would expect. The reward is that they are made masters of five cities and two cities. Their reward is for their fidelity (faithful in little things) and not for the physical increment of wealth.   

For everyone who has (made more out of what is given to him) more will be given (more will he have) and he will be rich; but the one who has not (made more out of what is given to him) even what he has will be taken away (what he has is as good as taken away) and he will have nothing.