Gospel: Matthew 18:21-35
Peter approached Jesus and asked him,
“Lord, if my brother sins against me,
how often must I forgive him?
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 him 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.”
The Gospel of the Lord.
The Mass intention is for Deacon Robin Pollard RIP.
Reflection:
Numbers can have its pros and cons. It could give us an idea of how much we have saved or spent. It could tell us how much of an item we need to buy. It could help us count our blessings. Or the faults of others. Peter asked Jesus how often he needs to forgive someone who wrongs him. He already has a number in mind: seven times. But Jesus surprised him: “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.” Such figure is the “shorthand for infinity in God’s personal and public accounting” (Bishop William Joensen).
The master’s infinite compassion was repaid by the wicked servant’s lack of mercy to a colleague who owed him a smaller debt. The wicked servant missed the whole point when his master wrote off all his debt: mercy begets mercy. We too can miss this point. As a result, we make a fuss at other’s small mistakes. We count people’s shortcomings than their goodness. The Father sent Jesus to save us all, no exception. His mercy is given not to a chosen few or many, but to all. May this Lenten season be a time for us to know more God’s infinite mercy and become more forgiving, more merciful like Him.
- How merciful is God to you?
- What holds you back from being forgiving to yourself and others?
- How can you show more of God’s mercy to others this Lent?
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Word today. Forgive us for the times we have failed to show Your mercy to others. Help us to be merciful so that we may receive mercy in Your Kingdom. Amen.
Suggested Lenten penance: Point out to another his or her virtue.
(Pietro)
