Wednesday, September 07, 2011

Word as a Wordle is back!

Here is a wordle of Sunday's Gospel reading from Matthew 18:21-35. It is about the area central and distinctive (I believe) to Christianity - ongoing and unmeritted forgiveness of each one of us, and Jesus underlines that in the parable he tells of the unforgiving servant.

Forgiveness
Then Peter came and said to him, ‘Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?’ Jesus said to him, ‘Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
 ‘For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.” And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow-slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, “Pay what you owe.” Then his fellow-slave fell down and pleaded with him, “Have patience with me, and I will pay you.” But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he should pay the debt. When his fellow-slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, “You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow-slave, as I had mercy on you?” And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he should pay his entire debt. So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.’



The wordle highlights four key words - pay, slave, debt and Lord. I am left asking and I need to prayerfully explore:

1. Who is the slave?
2.  What is the debt?
3.  How do I pay? Who do I pay?
4.  Who is the Lord?

1 comment:

Fr. Simon Cutmore said...

Of course eone thing we must dwell on is what forgiveness looks like in a post 9/11 world with a penal system largely focusses increasingly on retribution and revenge rather than on reformation and rehabilitation...