His verdict

“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.” Matthew 18:24-27

A talent was a measurement of weight. Therefore, the value of a talent depends upon what you are weighing. If these were ten thousand talents of gold, then this servant owed his master $11.9 billion by today’s standards.

Think of all your sins. All the big and small. Then, add those you committed by simple omission- not even noticing. Proverbs 25:16 says “For a righteous man will fall seven times.” I’m far from ranking with the just, so how many times do I sin a day? Multiply that by a year and over a lifetime. Add 100 times extra per day for a good 7-8 year timeframe when I lived my self centered, hedonistic life. Wow! This adds up fast.

Now think bigger. Contemplate Jesus’ suffering in His Passion and upon the cross. He suffered for all mankind’s sins – from Adam and Eve’s first fall through the very last moment of creation. Contemplate Hitler’s atrocities, Stalin and Mao’s murder of countless millions for socialism/communism and power, the millions of innocent babies murdered before they took a breath by the scourge of abortion, pornography, sexual sin in all its forms. Add to that man’s constant greed for money and power, domination of those weaker and lustful hedonism. How many times in a single moment around the world is mankind committing sins? Add that hour by every moment of every day by every person. It is overwhelming to think of the sins of mankind against God.

I’ll give you the power for a moment to pass the judgment upon man for all this sin. What is your verdict? I know mine would be a quick, “GUILTY! Burn them all, God. Start over.”

Compared to the price of sin, 10,000 talents is nothing at all. Yet, like the king is Jesus’s story, our great King forgives all the debt. In fact, this King takes all that debt upon Himself and promises to pay it. That is so much more than the king who simply forgives the debt.

Jesus looks down upon all the sins every committed in all time by all men (even unbelievers) and throws HIMSELF, upon the mercy of the courts of God. “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34

Accept this Divine Mercy. Let go of your guilt, Jesus has paid the debt. You are free to claim this freedom. And, unlike the debtor in the story, pass it forward.

“Write this: before I come as the Just Judge, I am coming first as the King of Mercy.” Divine Mercy in my soul # 83

“Write: before I come as a just Judge, I first open wide the door of My mercy. He who refuses to pass through the door of My mercy must pass through the door of My justice…” Divine Mercy in my soul # 1146 (cf., John 10:7: “I am the Door.”)

“Secretary of My mercy, write, tell souls about this great mercy of Mine, because the awful day, the day of My justice, is near.” Divine Mercy in my soul # 965