Imagine that you owe thousands of dollars in debt. You owe on the house, credit cards, a car,
and student loans. For many, I don’t
think I’m stretching your imagination to the breaking point. Now imagine that a representative from the
institution that you owe this money to arrives at your house this morning.
This nice person begins to review your debts with you but
then suddenly presents new contracts. He
or she tells you that their financial institution has decided to forgive much
of your debt. You sign the new contract
for the home and you only owe half of what you owed moments ago. You sign a new contract and 50% of your
credit cards and student loans disappear.
One more contract and your car loan is reduced by 20%. If everything was legal and on the up and up,
I doubt many of us would pass on this opportunity.
How would you feel about the person sitting at your kitchen
table helping you sign the forms? I’d
make them a cup of coffee, offer to buy them lunch, and probably give him or her
a hug through tears!
What would your feelings be toward the financial institution? I’d send a thank you note or a gift basket to
the president. I’d also tell all of my
friends and family about this great organization that helped me so much and its
generosity. I’d probably even give them
the highest stamp of approval today – a like and share on FaceBook.
Much has been written about the master and the steward in
today’s Gospel. However, I think you and
I can readily identify with one of the unnamed debtors. We wouldn't really care too much for the back
story. We wouldn't care about the argument,
the stewards wastefulness, or somewhat unseemly actions. As long as our debts were reduced, we’d love
both the steward and the master!
Do you remember that feeling of having all of your debts reduced
mentioned earlier? Felt good to dream
didn't it? What if they weren't reduced
but wiped away clean? What sort of high
would that give you?
Now, with that feeling of freedom in mind, remember that you
and I have the power to give that feeling of freedom to others. Let us tell the woman who owes a great debt
for her anger that God will wipe out that debt!
Let us tell our brother’s in Christ who owe a great debt for their
pornography addiction that God has purged that debt! Let us tell the world that the great debt
forgiveness program is in effect. They
need only turn to God,
go to confession, and ask for the grace to incur no
further debt and they to will experience the freedom.
We are stewards of God’s love and mercy; we’re the financial
reps, so to speak, of the Great Bank of Mercy!
Though sinners, we are “sons of light”, we are stewards of mercy. Let us lavishly give our Master’s mercy to
others.
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