but what about the parable of the master who gave the servants money to care for while he was gone and was livid at the one who buried it and earned no interest?
Interest is not the same as usury. But tha was the point of my comment aboe. We really need guidlines on what is, and what is not, usury.
I believe that parable has to do with the gifts that God entrusts us with. So, the message is similar to [paraphrasing here] “the trees that don’t bear fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire” and [paraphrasing again] “those that DO the will of God...” and [still paraphrasin] “you don’t light a lamp and put it under a basket”.
So, IMHO, I read the parable to be about taking God’s gifts and using them to spread his Word by helping others, i.e. loving God and our neighbor.
I used to question that one all the time.
I don't anymore because the answer is to NOT question God, His ways or His motives.
That's the way God does things, whether we think it's fair or not.
Amen.
Isn’t this parable about the gifts gives one as a member of a parish.
Do we do something with that gift that can increase it ten-fold or five-fold or do we ignore the gift and go happily on our way not even caring about our parish?