17 September, 2023 | 24 th Sunday in Ordinary Time
Gospel Mt 18:21-35
Gospel Text:
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."
Reflections
"The Lord never tires of forgiving. It is we who tire of asking for forgiveness" says Pope Francis. As individuals we find that forgiveness is not an easy journey. Yet, choosing to forgive will enable us to heal our emotional wounds, find peace and move forward with grace and compassion. Jesus considered it as an essential virtue. When Peter asked how many times to forgive Jesus said, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy times seven.” Forgiveness is a gift we give ourselves, a path to healing, and an opportunity to break the chains of the past. We can ask Jesus to bless us with inner peace as we release the burden of resentment and grudges through forgiveness. His peace can calm our hearts and minds, bringing serenity and tranquillity to our souls.
Activity:
Take a moment to reflect on yourself and see if there are any lingering resentments or unresolved issues. Then consider how these emotions might be affecting your well-being and state of mind.
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