Forgiven, Forgiven, Forgiven

08-09-2020The Pastor's PenFr. Matthew R. Paratore, S.T.L., J.C.L.

Dear Friends,

I once read a marvelous story about a country doctor in Ireland who had a very poor practice. Although his patients would pay him in eggs, chickens, vegetables at harvest, and meat at slaughtering time, his huge ledger book would contain many names, symptoms, treatments, and prescriptions, but a lot of empty boxes or columns where nothing was paid.

Once per year, the doctor would go through his book and write "Forgiven" wherever he knew the patients would never be able to pay. When the doctor died and his heirs received all of his material possessions, they brooded over the ledger book and all of the "Forgiven" debts.

Eventually, they tried to take some of the patients to court.

But according to the story, the old Irish judge said that there was no way that any court in Ireland could possibly find for the heirs when the physical evidence of the ledger was so eloquent with its message of "Forgiven, Forgiven, Forgiven" on every page.

While the good doctor did not collect much money, he believed in always praying and he never lost heart.

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