Presence

Dear Lord, help me to be open to You
for this time, as I put aside the cares of the world.
Fill my thoughts with Your peace, Your love.

Freedom

Lord grant me the grace
to have freedom of spirit.
Cleanse my heart and soul
so I may live joyously in Your love.

Consciousness

Where do I sense hope, encouragement, and growth areas in my life? By looking back over the last few months, I may be able to see which activities and occasions have produced rich fruit. If I do notice such areas, I will determine to give those areas both time and space in the future.

The Word of God

²¹Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if my brother or sister sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” ²²Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.

²³“For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. ²⁴When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him, ²⁵and, as he could not pay, the lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions and payment to be made. ²⁶So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ ²⁷And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. ²⁸But 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.’ ²⁹Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ ³⁰But he refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. ³¹When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. ³²Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. ³³Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?’ ³⁴And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt. ³⁵So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Inspiration

We’re reflecting today on what a great gift it is to give others time. Thus it was with the generous king who allowed his servant a goodly amount of time to make good the bad debt situation he had got himself into. Shortly afterwards, the servant who had been treated with such great kindness came upon a fellow domestic who was much lower down the food chain. This second servant also asked for time to set his affairs in order, but none was given to him. The message for us might be that God is much more generous than we are ourselves and that we might give to others the time they require to mature as God would want them to.

Conversation

Jesus, You are always there waiting for me.
Sometimes I get bogged down
with the concerns of this life.
Grant that I may be still more often,
To know Your peace, Your calm.

Conclusion

I thank God for these few moments we have spent alone together and for any insights I may have been given concerning the text.

Amen