- msullivan978
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
September 17, 2023
Today's Readings
Reading 1 Sir 27:30—28:7
Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight. The vengeful will suffer the LORD's vengeance, for he remembers their sins in detail. Forgive your neighbor's injustice; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven. Could anyone nourish anger against another and expect healing from the LORD? Could anyone refuse mercy to another like himself, can he seek pardon for his own sins? If one who is but flesh cherishes wrath, who will forgive his sins? Remember your last days, set enmity aside; remember death and decay, and cease from sin! Think of the commandments, hate not your neighbor; remember the Most High's covenant, and overlook faults.
Responsorial Psalm Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12 R. (8) The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion. Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all my being, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion. He pardons all your iniquities, heals all your ills. He redeems your life from destruction, crowns you with kindness and compassion. R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion. He will not always chide, nor does he keep his wrath forever. Not according to our sins does he deal with us, nor does he requite us according to our crimes. R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he put our transgressions from us. R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.
Reading 2 Rom 14:7-9 Brothers and sisters: None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself. For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. For this is why Christ died and came to life, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.
Alleluia Jn 13:34 R. Alleluia, alleluia. I give you a new commandment, says the Lord; love one another as I have loved you. R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel Mt 18:21-35 Peter approached Jesus and asked him, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive? As many as seven times?" Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt. At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.' Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan. When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, 'Pay back what you owe.' Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' But he refused. Instead, he had the fellow servant put in prison until he paid back the debt. Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. His master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?' Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart."
Reflection
Today’s Gospel reading teaches us a profound lesson on forgiveness, divine mercy, and the Kingdom of Heaven.
It begins by addressing the concept of forgiveness as a divine command. When Peter questions how often one should forgive, Jesus responds with "seventy-seven times," emphasizing the need for boundless forgiveness that transcends our human limitations. This divine command highlights forgiveness as a continuous and unlimited act of grace.
The kingdom of heaven as described in today's Gospel illustrates these spiritual truths. In this parable, the king symbolizes God, the debtor represents each of us burdened by our sins. The forgiveness of the incredibly enormous debt represents God's boundless mercy. This parable portrays God's infinite compassion and willingness to release us from the consequences of our wrongdoings, emphasizing divine forgiveness as an essential aspect of the Kingdom of Heaven.
The passage also serves as a mirror reflecting divine mercy. The actions of the unforgiving servant towards his fellow servant parallel our inclination to withhold forgiveness despite receiving divine forgiveness. This passage underscores the idea that our ability to forgive others mirrors how we receive and respond to God's forgiveness. Failing to extend mercy to others is much like squandering the gift of divine mercy we have received. It reminds us of the words in the Lord's Prayer, "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."
Furthermore, the Gospel emphasizes the importance of heartfelt forgiveness. Forgiveness should not be a surface act but a profound transformation of our inner self. When forgiveness pours forth from the heart, it aligns each of us with our divine nature and opens us to experience God's grace and love.
Conversely, the passage warns about the consequences of refusing to forgive. It presents unforgiveness as a form of spiritual imprisonment and suffering. In deeply spiritual terms, holding onto grudges and resentments is seen as imprisoning the soul, blocking it from fully experiencing the abundance of God's love and grace.
In summary, the passage from the Gospel of Matthew offers a deeply spiritual lesson on limitless forgiveness, divine mercy, and the transformative power of forgiving from the heart. It calls upon us to mirror God's boundless compassion and recognize that forgiveness is not merely a human act but a pathway to experiencing the Kingdom of Heaven within themselves.