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11th Sunday in Matthew – Ocala 9/4/05 Then his Master said to him: "O you wicked servant. I forgave the tremendous debt which you owed me, because you pleaded with me; shouldn't you have exercised the same compassion on your fellow servant, as I did for you? " What a vivid and powerful message beloved Friends we have from today's Gospel Lesson, which is labeled as the Parable of the wicked servant. It is the portrayal, not only of something that was taught by our Lord 2000 years ago, but a reality so widespread in our interpersonal relationships. It is literally a plague and blight for society. I think it is very advantageous to repeat the main points of this Parable. In one of his Teachings the Lord likened the Kingdom of Heaven to a King, who at a certain time called all his subjects together to collect what they owed him. One of the subjects brought before him, owed the king a very substantial amount ---- 10,000 talents. This debtor was unable to pay his huge debt, and the King commanded, that he and his family be sold as slaves; and all his property be sold to offset some of the debt. The wretched soul fell on his knees, and with tears pleaded anxiously to the King for mercy; --- for an extension of time, and promised that he would make good on his debt. ---- The King deeply moved by his fervent plea, not only granted an extension, but he forgave him of his debt totally. --- You can imagine the transformation of the tears of agony into tears of joy ,---- the jubilation, and to be sure the kissing of the King's feet in gratitude. The scene now moves immediately outside the palace gates. The jubilant and now free from his great debt, the citizen sees a fellow servant, who owed him a paltry sum of only 100 pence. He rushes up to him, grabs him by the throat practically choking him, and demands the payment of his debt. The fellow-servant fell on his knees and pleaded for more time. to repay the paltry sum of only 100 pence. But the lender, who had just been forgiven of an enormous debt, is not moved. He coldly and mercilessly demands, that he be thrown into prison, until his fellow servant would be able to pay him what he owed him. However,---- there were third parties nearby, who were witnesses to both scenes. The one of the forgiveness by the King, and the other of the unforgiving servant, who had been totally forgiven. These witnesses in disgust, immediately report the incident to the King. The King is enraged, and demands, that the forgiven servant be brought before him. When he sees him again, he scornfully says to him: "O you wicked and wretched servant; I forgave your great debt because you pleaded with me; should you have not forgiven your fellow-servant for that very small sum, as I forgave you?" "Because of your ingratitude and callousness, you will be lashed, and severely punished; and you will remain in jail, until you are able to make good on your debt!" Thus, the Lord Jesus concludes His Parable by saying: "My Father in Heaven will not forgive you, if you are not forgiving to your brother!" This Parable speaks loudly and clearly to our hearts and souls. It is laden with so many sociological and psychological implications; --profound feelings, and emotions. It condemns that, which is rightfully condemnable; ---- that is, the lack of forgiveness and the cold-hearted act of the wicked servant toward his fellow-servant. The Parable also emphasizes the graciousness, the love, the compassion and mercy of our Father in Heaven toward all of us, His spiritually deficient children. If we could only be taught, and fully digest, so that it could become part of our everyday living, ---- I say, if we could digest the fact that God is all-merciful and always forgiving, --- and further, that God also expects from us, as His children to be as merciful to our brother or sister, to be sure, the complete face of the earth would be changed. But, man and woman being mortals, hear the message, --- yet remain unmoved, and are not generated, --- they continue to harbor grudges, --- to bear malice, --and to be revengeful, even though they seek forgiveness from God. While the Lord's Prayer may be recited, it is done routinely and unconsciously, because the phrase: "and forgive us our debts, as WE forgive our debtors" is repeated automatically, without our giving it true substance. It is practically impossible to explain the phenomenon, of how primitive and how vicious a person can become, by seeking to take revenge upon another! People, who live in the same land, --- belong to the same Country, ---- have the same blood running through their veins, ---- respect the same religion, ---- go to the same Church to worship,---- are members of the same societies, and call themselves brothers and sisters; ---- people, who share in joyful and sad events, and are a part of identical causes, ----still,---- it is amazing, that amongst themselves, they oftentimes harbor grudges and seek vengeance; ----oddly, excusing themselves always from any transgressions, and they never soften their hearts with the power of humility to forgive their brother or sister. The root, or answer to this deficiency in a person's spiritual make-up, is the lack of spiritual maturity, and surely the lack of Christian love, as we are taught throughout the Scriptures! A person becomes malicious, harbors grudges and is resentful, simply because he permits egotism to displace the love, that by nature belongs to the human heart, as created by God. The egotist does not have the capacity to forgive, simply because forgiveness comes from a loving heart. Loving your fellow-man, even with his shortcomings, is totally unfamiliar to the egotist. What is lacking in the life of many Christians is self analysis, and a proper estimation of self. I've said it more than once, that if we submitted ourselves to a sincere self analysis even periodically, we wouldn't be so eager to condemn people for things, of which we are guilty, but so readily excuse in ourselves! It is only too often, that we also set ourselves up as judge and jury, disregarding our Lord's words: "Do not judge, lest you be judged!" As Christians, we truly deprive ourselves of so many beautiful emotions, which really nurture the soul, simply because, through our actions we stymie, or pervert the love, which God implanted and seeks to maintain in our hearts. Only too many Christians have a wrong, if not a distorted opinion of what it means to be a true Christian. They forget, or just do not heed the fact, that the focal point of religion is love based on forgiveness. This love was manifested by our Lord all through His earthly ministry, and right up to His last moments on the Cross, when he forgave the penitent thief. -- Ever since then, the Lord seeks to approach all humans, and offer His forgiveness. But how can we be worthy to receive His forgiveness, when we ourselves are so unforgiving? I'll never forget an incident which actually happened in one of our Churches and related to me by a reliable Parishioner. It may seem amusing, ---- yet it is a sad commentary, as to how so many people perceive, and have their own interpretation of Christianity. On a major Holy Day a certain Christian was entering Church, having supposedly prepared himself to receive Holy Communion. Precisely at the door he sees his arch enemy, also entering. He hadn't seen him in a long time; he glanced at him scornfully, and said: "I won't say anything to you now, because I'm going to receive Holy Communion, but wait until after today, and we shall see that matters are settled!" It may sound amusing, but it is so very sad, and I may add, --- tragic! This hard, unforgiving person was so foreign to the Lord's teaching: "If you come to to the Temple to bring your offering to God, and remember that you are at odds with your brother, leave your gift before the Altar; then go, and make amends with your brother, and return to offer your gift to God, which will be acceptable only under those terms!" This plague of animosity and vengeance will continue to perpetuate itself, simply because we are strangers to the Bible, which contains the Teachings of our Lord. The tragic part of it is, that it's not that we do not care, but we are too pre-occupied with our work, and so many other things, which truly bog us down, that we seem to postpone, or even cancel out the things that are of a lasting nature, and which have to do with our spiritual edification and well being! And here lies the great imbalance, where we have permitted the material to outstrip the spiritual. That is why the mission of the Church is so very great; --- and Her message will always ring out to the people, to bring them within the framework of the true Christian concept. I think that all Christians must do some very serious thinking, and where necessary, to make the proper adjustment in our lives, so that we may never risk hearing those frightful words of condemnation: "0 you wicked servant, could you not have shown mercy to your brother or sister, as I have shown mercy to you?"
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