Today’s Gospel starts with Jesus pointing out how easy it is for us to become consumed in worldly affairs. This is especially applicable today. Jesus points out that we can know the reason behind clouds rising in the west and a south wind blowing, and yet he asks, “why do you not know how to interpret this present time?” (Lk 12:56). We are so consumed with knowing what is going on in the world, whether it is politically or socially, that we forget to pay attention to what the Lord is asking of us. We so often seek happiness in the things and events around us without realizing that true happiness resides in communion with God. It is not hard to see that living according to the world in this way can lead to us to falling into sin.
In verses 57-59, Jesus commands us to reconcile with our accusers lest we are put into prison; he says “I tell you, you will never get out till you have paid the last penny” (Lk 12:59). This set of verses closely parallels Matthew 5:25-26 when Christ is giving the Sermon on the Mount. In his book “The Case for Catholicism,” Trent Horn explains how these verses relate to Purgatory: St. Cyprian of Carthage compared the immediate reward of martyrs with the purification believers must endure because of their sins.
That being said, Luke 12:57-59 can also be a warning to those who hope to inherit Heaven. As we focus on worldly matters so much, it becomes easy to sin; if we continue to sin, we increase the temporal punishment we must endure in Purgatory (provided that we die in a state of grace and not a state of mortal sin). God’s mercy is infinite, and this is evident by the fact that he wants us to be completely cleansed of any lasting effect of sin when we enter his kingdom. Staying so stuck in worldly ways, though - that can decrease our ability to resist sin, which makes us more likely to stray from God.
Thank you Grace
Being stuck in worldly ways is called the law of sin which decreases our ability to avoid sin. We are born strayed from God until we draw close to Him for peace and strength.