17th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Reading the story of Abraham bargaining with God brought to mind the many times I engaged in bargaining with God. Dear God, if I pass this test, get this job, get out of this jam I’m in, and the list goes on. In return, I promised the Lord what I would do to become better. If memory serves correctly, probably most of those promises were never kept.
Careful reading of the Abraham story, however, proves that bargaining is unnecessary. Our God is merciful, kind, and knows what is good for us more than we imagine. Rather than bargaining, we should be embracing the love that has been showered upon us through the power of God, not only forgiving us but sending His Son to show us how to experience this love and share it with others.
Although we are grateful that conditions for forgiveness and love are not imposed on us, we often impose conditions on our love and forgiveness. They will need to change and prove it before they get my acceptance. They have been forgiven before and have returned to their previous state. I will not be fooled again. There is a limit to my mercy and my patience!
When pushed by Abraham, God’s mercy became even broader from fifty just men down to ten. But even further down to God’s definitive answer: just one just man. The Eucharist gives us the opportunity to experience this One just man who loved us all unconditionally and forgave us without conditions. Each time we receive Christ’s Body and Blood, we are nourished to love as God loves, to forgive as God does.
We may feel incapable of responding, yet we are told, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you. What should I ask for today?
Prayer
Father, forgive us our trespasses and preserve us from the temptation of judging others and refusing to forgive them as you have forgiven us. Amen
