Word to the Wise
Tuesday, March 1, 2016 - 3rd Week of Lent - Tues
[Dan 3:25, 34-43 and Matt 18:21-35]MONDAY, MARCH 1, 2016 MONDAY IN THE THIRD WEEK OF LENT [Daniel 3:25, 34-43 and Matthew 18:21-35] "You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant as I had pity on you?" Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the entire debt. So will my Heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother or sister from your heart." [Matthew] The parable of the Unforgiving Servant comes in response to Peter's question about how often must he forgive. Jesus tells him he must not only forgive very often but completely. It can be a sobering experience to read this parable and then go back to Matthew 6:9-14 and read The Lord's Prayer. At the end of the words, "But deliver us from evil," there is no "Amen" as we are accustomed to. There is a warning that if we do not forgive others, we cannot expect God to forgive us! This parable appears rather conveniently on a Tuesday in Lent when I am usually preaching a parish mission somewhere and schedule a Reconciliation on the second night of the mission. I have mentioned before in these reflections the Examination of Conscience that I use which challenges the listeners to look at their relationships rather than their actions. This reminds them not only of the persons they must forgive (or seek forgiveness from) but of the action that caused the hurt. Sin has a social face. Someone always gets hurt, even if it is only the sinner! In the Jubilee Year of Mercy we are called on more than ever to be merciful. How good are we at forgiving? Can we forgive that one person who has hurt us the most (even if it is ourself)? The Sacrament of Reconciliation is only the beginning. We should remember that reconciliation of any kind requires more than one person. Forgiveness requires only the forgiver. Starting with forgiveness we can move to reconciliation. This seems a more fruitful Lent to me than giving up martinis and chocolate. AMEN
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