Sunday, September 11, 2005

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If September 11 is Patriot Day, what will August 28 be? American Pie Day?

Today should be forgiveness day. It appears that the king forgave the wicked servant only once, but since the servant owed ten thousand talents, he was actually forgiven beyond measure, much more than he could pay even if he, his wife, his children, and all that he had were sold. His king’s patience would have been long suffering. His fellow servant owed him much less—as indeed sins against us are small change compared with sins against God. His fellow servant was willing to pay him; what was begged was a little patience. Casting his fellowservant into prison must have increased the time needed to pay the debt, given the likely prison wages (how did this actually work?). This is vindictive. The punishment doesn’t fit the crime. How long do I nurse a grudge for an inadvertent slight! Patience means compassion—suffering together; not the same suffering, but suffering together. Yes, it is hard, especially as our fellow servants do not always pay us. But think of how much we have been forgiven, and how much we are tormented when we do not forgive our brother.

The principal emotion of our time is anger; the principal need is forgiveness.

Everytime I forgive, I am forgiven much more.

When I forgive, I die unto the Lord; when I love, I live unto the Lord.

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At Mass after Communion the choir sang a beautiful setting of Psalm 130 by Mikhail Ippolitof-Ivanof. Father’s homily was again delivered from in front of the altar.

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We drove JR’s car to the parish picnic at Thatcher park. A good gathering of many people, quite a few of whom I didn”t know. Mentioned Armand Veilleux to KO, talked with JS about his visit with Gianna Talone Sullivan and his suggestion that the Cathedral Conference of the St. Vincent de Paul Society take part in a ministry to the homebound, and concluded with AB that we were largely in agreement about truth.