Be Cunning in Forgiveness as Jesus is Cunning

The limit that we can place on the infinite Mercy of God can be quite terrible, quite inhibiting, yes, even quite damning - literally.  For we utter those fated words every day, "Forgive us our trespasses AS we forgive those who trespass against us."  In our Mass readings for today, Jesus praises the dishonest steward for his cunning in forgiving the debtors of the Master.

Listen to my homily for today:

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An example of how Jesus is cunning in getting us to forgive others and thus be forgiven is the Promises of First Fridays, which require us to receive holy communion on the first friday of the month and go to confession.  A person who does this nine months in a row may have a business mindset, even a kind of consumer approach to religion, but the cunning of Christ is that no one can confess their sins nine months in a row and remain the same.  They will be eternally changed.  Their heart will be drawn to mercy, to forgiveness, to God himself.

Another example we have of the holy cunning is today's saint, St Charles Borromeo, who was a major player in the reform of Trent.  He implemented the reform by taking as his own their principles and generously putting them into practice, especially with regard to visiting priests, bishops, and founding seminaries.

May the Immaculate Heart of Mary, whose innocence and humility is a the ideal of holy cunning, lead us to bring as many as possible to the fount of God's mercy and holiness.