Reading 1: SIR 27:30—28:7
Responsorial Psalm: PS 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12 (Watch it here)
Reading 2: ROM 14:7-9
Gospel: MT 18:21-35 Full Readings
Unconditional Forgiveness
Brethren, the theme running through today's reading is Forgiveness. The first reading tells that we should forgive so that when we pray, our sins will be forgiven too. A person of anger, resentment, unforgiveness, pride, and other evil thoughts towards the neighbour expects nothing from God other than harsh judgement and condemnation, for if we want to be forgiven we must also be ready to forgive those who have wronged us.
Forgiveness amongst ourselves should be unlimited and unconditional as we in the Gospel today.The end of the community or ecclesial discourse of Matthew presents to us the master and his two servants. After being approached by Peter and being asked how many times we should forgive, Jesus responds seventy-seven times. He later tells a parable of a wicked servant who was forgiven the whole debt he owed his master and in turn the servant could not forgive the fellow servant which made his master withdraw his forgiveness from him and then put him in prison. This passage has a very important message for us today.
Jesus' response to Peter that we should forgive seventy-seven times, means we should forgive unlimited times and unconditionally. Brethren, if God was to mark our iniquities, who would stand, we have done sins which we could not repair even before God but God out of his mercy, forgives us unconditionally whenever we turn back to him. Our invitation through this Gospel is that we should also forgive others as God forgives us unconditionally. For if we forgive those who wrong us even if they do not show remorse or even ask forgiveness from us, we are imitating Jesus who forgave those who crucified on the cross. This is our authentic Christian calling.
Today's Gospel also teaches us if we want to be forgiven, then we must also be ready to forgive others, because you cannot receive what you are not willing to give away. Perhaps that doesn’t make sense at first, but it’s a very real fact of the spiritual life. If you want mercy, you must give mercy away, If you want forgiveness, you must offer forgiveness. But if you want harsh judgment and condemnation, then go ahead and offer harsh judgment and condemnation. Jesus will answer that act in kind and severity. Jesus is serious on this, He is ready to forgive us every time we come to him but we must also be able to forgive others in return, otherwise we will not be forgiven.
This parable continues and concludes the theme that forgiveness is the life’s-blood of any Christian community. We cannot live together without upsetting one another, unwittingly, or even deliberately. So forgiveness is the vital step. It expands and stresses our petition in the Lord’s Prayer, ‘Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive others.’ We all pray our Lord's Prayer but do we mean what we pray or we are condemning ourselves as we ask forgiveness on a condition that we have forgiven others. If we haven't forgiven and then we pray this prayer, then we are just condemning ourselves.
Brethren, what stops us from forgiving others? Is it...
Egoism, From the gospel the servant who was forgiven most was very egoistic, he didn't want to lose anything of himself even after the King had let go of his through forgiving him. He showed a high sense of egoism by not forgiving his fellow servant. Most times our egoistic and individualistic tendencies come on our way to forgiveness, we think that we can manage alone, we beg mercy from others and we don't want to show it to others, and finally block our way to them, our way to forgiveness.
Forgetting that we need each other. If only we would remember that we need each other and no one lives in isolation, we would take forgiveness seriously in order to create peace among ourselves. The forgiven servant could not think of this, that he needed a fellow servant to live in a community, to give him company, and to take together to get the daily bread. He didn't think of the other's situation otherwise he would have forgiven him. Let's think of others as what we need or desire, they also desire, if it's forgiveness, they also need to be forgiven.
Status. Sometimes we think a person of higher status cannot ask for forgiveness from the one lower, for instance, a father asking for forgiveness from his child, a boss from an employee, president from a citizen. When we take our status as more important than people then we are blocking our way to forgiveness. We have to remember that asking for forgiveness is not a weakness, it is an inner strength which expresses humility, maturity and care for one another.
Pride. pride blocks us mostly from asking for forgiveness and forgiving too. We feel high and we think we can do anything to anyone and nothing can be done to us. Even we rejoice when we wrong someone and see them suffering. Therefore we see the need of asking forgiveness and forgiving, However, we have to remember that if we don't forgive we will not be forgiven too.
Past experiences. The way we have experienced someone may stop us from forgiving him or her, may be because of someone has wronged us many times and may be other experiences. However let us remember that Jesus encourages us to forgive endless times so that we shall also be forgiven endless times for we as human beings always fall short.
Reflect today on what stops us from forgiving and asking for forgiveness. Then think of the people we need to forgive and then forgive them from our hearts and let go. Have we acted in some way like the unforgiving servant, let's come to God with a contrite heart, and ask for his Mercy and that he may help us show that mercy to all the people. Forgiveness is key to re-establishing relationships both with God and neighbors, let's make it a practice.
Let us Pray.
Lord Jesus, I realize that forgiving others can be difficult. Sometimes I am afraid of letting go of how others have hurt me. It makes me feel protected to hold on to that hurt. As I open my heart, help me to empty the fear and remember that you are my protector and have forgiven me for so many of my sins. May this truth lead me to forgive others unconditionally. Amen
Be blessed.
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