Cycle A - Year I:  

17 September 2023: Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time 

(Liturgical Color: Green)

Readings:

First Reading:        Sirach 27:30--28:7

Second Reading:   Romans 14:7-9

Gospel:  Please Read  Matthew 18:21-35 

Forgive as you are forgiven!

As Christians we are often told to condemn sins but not the sinners. Because it is human nature to make mistakes. Even so, we should also aspire to do as God wants, to show mercy and forgiveness to others.

But from our human experience, it is not easy to forgive, because certain grief and pain does not easily heal and continues to burn the heart. That is why sometimes we hear people say, "I forgive you, but I do not forget".  Rancor, tensions, diverse opinions, insults, offenses,  provocations, all these render pardon and reconciliation difficult.   

This Sunday's Gospel speaks to us about the need for pardon. Let us reflect on the Gospel proclamation.

In the Gospel narrative, Peter asked Jesus, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?" (Mt 18:21)    

Jesus' response goes beyond the proposal of Peter: "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times." (Mt 18:22)     

Our Lord clearly eliminates any limitation to forgiving. In Hebrew, "seventy times seven" means the same as "always".  In the words of St. John Chrysostom, "Therefore, our Lord did not limit forgiveness to a fixed number, but declared that it must be continuous and for ever."     

Then our Lord tells them about the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant. The parable teaches that we must always forgive our brothers, and must do so whole heartedly, just as the master (God the Father) forgave his servant.

For Jesus, forgiveness is not to be quantified. Rather, it is a quality, a way of being, a way of living, a way of loving, a way of relationship, a way of thinking and seeing. In other words,  forgiveness is nothing less than the way of Christ Himself, as He forgave the sinner while hanging on the cross. And if we are to follow our Lord Jesus, then forgiveness must become our way as well, definitely.

Now, it does not mean we forget, condone, or approve of whatever wrong was done. It does not mean we ignore or excuse cruelty or injustice. But forgiving in our heart is the only way forward. It means we are released from anger and the desire for revenge. Because we look to the future rather than the past. We try to see and love as God sees and loves. Thus, forgiveness is a way in which we align our life with God's life.

In the first reading, Sirach reminds us to "think of the commandment, hate not your neighbor." (28:7) And also in Romans, Paul tells us that we belong to God, "For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lor; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's." (14:8)    

In the Lord's prayer, we always ask the Father to "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." The forgiveness we ask of God is linked with the forgiveness we give to others. The only limit to the gratuity of God is our own incapacity to forgive our erring brothers and sisters.

A blessed Sunday to us all. And thank you for a moment with God.

Ad Jesum per Mariam!