What could be more silly than lighting a lamp and then covering it up or putting it under the bed? Yet, that is what we often do with the Gospel message that we hear again and again. The Gospel is a message for the whole world; it has not been given to me to hide in the ground as the man in the parable did with his talent. I am not fully a disciple of Jesus unless I am somehow sharing with others my experience of knowing and following Jesus. To be a Christian is essentially to be called to the missionary work of the Gospel. How many people in my life know that I am a Christian? And how do they know it? And does my being a Christian make any difference to their lives?

Jesus goes on to say that the more we share with others what our following of him means to us, the more enriched we ourselves will be. Actively sharing our faith with others has the unexpected effect of enriching our own faith. It is a strange paradox that the richer our faith and love in Christ are, the greater that faith and love will grow. But if we do nothing to make it grow, make no effort to share it, we will end up by having nothing.