Saturday, July 7, 2001
Saturday, July 7, 2001
He said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what
you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear.
One day Mathilde's husband obtained an invitation to attend an elegant ball. Thoroughly
delighted, Mathilde borrowed from a wealthy friend a beautiful necklace to wear to this elegant
occasion. The stunning necklace drew many compliments from the aristocratic guests. However,
the worst possible thing happened. Mathilde lost the beautiful necklace.
Panic-stricken, she and her husband borrowed thirty-six thousand francs. They bought a necklace
that looked exactly like the one Mathilde had worn. Mathilde returned this to her friend, telling
her nothing of what had happened. For ten agonizing years, the couple slaved and toiled to pay
back the vast amount of money they had borrowed. They sold their home, dismissed servants,
worked at two jobs, and lived in a slum in order to raise the necessary funds.
After it was finally paid, Mathilde saw her friend one day. She confessed what they had done. She
revealed the hardship through which they had come in paying for the replacement. It was then that
her friend explained that the necklace Mathilde had borrowed was only made of paste. It was
worth five hundred francs or less.
What a parable of contemporary life! People frantically slaving for values that turn out only to be
paste.
(Luke 12:22
NRSV)
Guy de Maupassant's "The Necklace" tells the sad story of a young woman named Mathilde who
dreamed, as many do, of making it in high society. However, she was the wife of an ordinary
French citizen.
Dear God, teach me today the values that are important to you. Amen.
 Click here to Vote for this site! |
 Click here to Subscribe! |
|---|