Because we have been forgiven, we must forgive.
A remarkable story of generosity featured on Joe Duffy’s Liveline: Call Back programme on RTÉ a few years ago. It was the story of Shane O’Neill, who had a history of drugs offences and ended up serving time in prison in Belgium. On release from prison, he went to the Irish Embassy to ask for the price of a flight to return home, but was turned down. Another Irish man, Charlie Kiernan, overheard the exchange and decided to help, booking him a flight and buying him breakfast. When Shane asked how he could repay him, Charlie suggested he ‘pay it forward’. The kind gesture was the catalyst for Shane turning his life around.
It is this sort of generous love that we hear about in today’s Gospel, in the parable told by Jesus. The master who cancels the servant’s debt does so out of compassion and generosity. It is of no benefit to him to pardon the debt. He will be down ten thousand talents – one talent was worth more than 15 years’ wages of a labourer, so we are talking about a large sum of money! The servant is grateful, but not so grateful that he is willing to take pity on a fellow servant who owes him just one hundred denarii – one denarius was the usual day’s wage for a labourer.
The parable speaks to us about the kindness of God, but also what he expects from us. Because we have been loved, we must love. Because we have been forgiven, we must forgive.
Photo by Matt Collamer on Unsplash
Compassion and Generosity.