17 August, 2023 | Thursday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

 Gospel Mt 18:21:--19: 19:1 

 

Finding it difficult to forgive? Try this 

  Gospel Text

Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?”  Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy-seven times.  “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.  So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’  And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.  But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay what you owe.’  So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’  He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt.  When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place.  Then his master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.  And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’  And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers,until he should pay all his debt.  So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan. 

Reflections:

God is  love and his mercy is unlimited. He forgives us unconditionally and completely. Being human we are inclined to fall into sin. Through the Gospel today Jesus teaches us to forgive unconditionally. Jesus is saying to each of us that, as we ourselves are forgiven we ought to forgive one another. To forgive others in the same way is not very easy and we need the grace of God. The root cause of the difficulty to forgive is that we fail to appreciate the love and forgiveness of God. Therefore let us pray for the grace to realize the love and mercy of God and appreciate the fact that we are forgiven and in turn extend forgiveness to others. 

Activity:

Forgive yourself of any of the past wrong that bothers you still.