Sunday, September 15, 2002
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: Sir 27:30-28:7
Grudge and wrath, these also are abominations in which sinful people
excel.
He who demands revenge will suffer the vengeance of the Lord who keeps
a strict account of his sins. Forgive the mistakes of your neighbor and
you may ask that your sins be forgiven.
If a man bears resentment against another, how can he ask God for healing?
If he has no compassion on others, how can he pray for forgiveness for
his sins? As long as he, mere flesh, is resentful, who will obtain his
pardon?
Remember your end and give up hatred; keep in mind your final corruption
in the grave and keep the commandments.
Remember the commandments and do not bear grudges against your neighbor.
Remember the covenant with the Most High and overlook the offense.
2nd Reading: Rom 14:7-9
Brothers and sisters, none of us lives for himself, nor dies for himself.
If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord.
Either in life or in death, we belong to the Lord; Christ experienced
death and life to be Lord both of the living and of the dead.
Gospel:
Mt 18:21-35
Peter asked Jesus, "Lord, how many times must I forgive the offenses
of my brother or sister? Seven times?" Jesus answered, "No,
not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
This story throws light on the kingdom of heaven. A king decided to settle
the accounts of his servants. Among the first was one who owed him ten
thousand gold ingots. As the man could not repay the debt, the king commanded
that he be sold as a slave with his wife, children and all his goods in
payment.
The official threw himself at the feet of the king and said, 'Give me
time, and I will pay you back everything.' The king took pity on him and
not only set him free but even canceled his debt.
This official then left the king's presence and he met one of his companions
who owed him a hundred pieces of silver. He grabbed him by the neck and
almost strangled him, shouting, 'Pay me what you owe!' His companion threw
himself at his feet and asked him, 'Give me time, and I will pay everything.'The
other did not agree, but sent him to prison until he had paid all his
debt.
His companions saw what happened. They were indignant and so they went
and reported everything to their lord. Then the lord summoned his official
and said, 'Wicked servant, I forgave you all that you owed when you begged
me to do so. Weren't you bound to have pity on your companion as I had
pity on you?' The lord was now angry, so he handed his servant over to
be punished, until he had paid his whole debt."
Jesus added, "So will my heavenly Father do with you unless each
of you sincerely forgive your brother or sister."
Commentary
Forgiveness is a divine act in us. Left to ourselves after experiencing hurts, we humans tend to get even up to the extent of inflicting on the culprit a graver hurt. Stories of individuals and even of communities through the course of ages attest to this. Just look at the many ethnic conflicts all over the world. A whole "tradition" and even legal system have ensued, trying to redress such hurts in individual or collective psyches. When we experience being a forgiven people, forgiveness on our part is possible. If you have a deep hurt you cannot overcome, pray with St. Francis of Assisi: "And if we do not forgive perfectly, Lord, make us forgive perfectly, so that we really love our enemies for love of you, and pray fervently to you for them, returning no one evil for evil, anxious only to serve anyone in you."