Daniel 3:2.11-20,
Psalm 25:4-Sab.6 and 7cd.8-9,
Matthew 18:21-35 Full Readings
To be Forgiven, You must Forgive
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do” (Colossians 3:13).
Brethren, today's readings encourage us to forgive one another from our hearts and that we should forgive others, if we want to be forgiven. Jesus uses the parable of the unforgiving servant to bring this point home. A talent was the equivalent of 6,000 denarii, and a day’s wage is just one denarius. Now to gain 6,000 denarii (one talent) one would have to work for 6,000 days, which is roughly 16 years. The unforgiving debtor in today’s parable owned not just a talent but 10,000 talents, which is the equivalent of 164,383.56 years of labor. He was thus pardoned for a debt he couldn’t pay in his lifetime, even if his family and possessions were sold besides. But he refused to forgive another who owed him just 100 denarii (three and half month’s wages). We are all debtors to the king of kings who has already pardoned us for debts we can never dream of paying back. Why then can’t we forgive others who owe us far less?
This parable shows that forgiveness is the life’s-blood of any Christian community for there will always be quarrels, offences and disagreements. We cannot live together without upsetting one another, unwittingly, or even deliberately. So forgiveness is the vital step, and real forgiveness cements a relationship, leaving it stronger than it was before the offence. Don’t forgive and forget, but remember the forgiveness! The contrast between the two sums of money is deliberately fantastically exaggerated, but Jesus wants to show us that we cannot pay with anything the grace which God has had on us. Why then don't we forgive others, of Jesus himself forgiving us and paying the highest price ever paid for the forgiveness of sins. It's obvious that we cannot pay this back in any form, what we owe Jesus is to praise, him, love him, believe in him, trust him and above all do to others what he did for us, that's is forgiving us beyond compare, we ought to forgive others as he did for us. And if we need to be forgiven when we fall again, we should also be ready to forgive unlimitedly and from the heart those who have hurt us.
Our invitation today dear brethren, is to examine ourselves and see how far we are with forgiving others and what stops us from forgiving others as well as what stops us from asking for forgiveness. Is it pride, is it our status, is it forgetting that we need each other and that we need to live in peace, is it because of our past experiences, or any other reasons? Doing this will enable us to move a step forward in our attitude to forgiveness. Let us also reflect today on the instances which might lead us not to get forgiveness from God. As we see in the first reading, the Lord needs a humble and a contrite heart alone, not burnt offerings or anything else. During this lent, let us create a humble and contrite spirit so that we shall receive forgiveness from God.
Brethren, as we reflect in our lives on what stops us from forgiving and asking for forgiveness, let us also think of the people we need to forgive and then forgive them from our hearts. Think of that person whom it is difficult to forgive and ask the graces to forgive him or her. 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 and 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. Endeavor to go for confession this Lent.
Let us Pray
Set our hearts blazing with the fire of love and forgiveness of others in this lent so that we may also be worthy to receive forgiveness from you our Lord and saviour. Amen
Be blessed
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