Sin is serious business even if our culture rejects its existence. We notice in our Gospel a man who owed a serious amount of money. This is representative of a sum which is so great that it is impossible for it to be paid back. Through the invitation of mortal sin into our life we amass this great debt. This is a debt that we cannot pay back through our own merit no matter how much the Angels and saints of Heaven intercede on our behalf. Instead we must contritely beg for the forgiveness of God and move forth with proper amendment of life. God alone is the merciful judge who awaits our return to Him.
Upon being forgiven of his great debt this man runs into someone who owes him slightly. Despite the abundance of forgiveness that he had received from God, he is unable to share what he received with others. We desire the forgiveness of God through the Sacrament of Confession and yet at the same time we find it hard to share the mercy in which we receive with others. The purpose of this parable is to inform us of the vast mercy of God and thus too our own need to be merciful with those whom we encounter.
It is sad to see a family who has been torn apart following the death of a loved one. Especially when the root cause of this breakdown is greed brought about through inheritance rites. It sad to see them attach on to something such as this and not be able to share the mercy of God with those of their own family. We must ask ourself what grudge and offense made against us do we still passionately hold onto. We must pray for the grace to be merciful as the King in our Gospel was merciful. In the words of James chapter 2 verse 13: "For the judgment is merciless to one who has not shown mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment."
My dear brethren, God has great patience for each of us. May we likewise have patience for those whom we encounter in life. Those like us are found to be imperfect, but it is easier to be concerned with the imperfection of others while ignoring our own faults. From Saint Matthew's Gospel: " Why do you notice the splinter in your brother’s eye, but do not perceive the wooden beam in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove that splinter from your eye,’ while the wooden beam is in your eye? You hypocrite, remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye."
We must therefore take the words of our Epistle to heart. If we want to avoid sin always and thus follow after the commands of God we must follow Saint Paul by putting "on the armor of God." If we want to become patient and merciful with our brothers and sisters in Christ we must do so by putting "on the armor of God." We must therefore take the truth contained within the Gospels and study them always that we may proclaim the same truth. We must put "on the armor of God" as we strengthen ourself in the spirit of prayer and partake of the life of the sacraments.
This day may we always be willing to receive the mercy of God and not fall into the state of serious sin. May we share the forgiveness God with those who transgress against us. May we grow in the virtue of patience that we not lash out in anger, but realize God who dwells within the human person. In all things may God be glorified.
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