St. Pontian, pope & Martyr 

St. Hippolytus, priest & martyr 

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Ezekiel 12:1-12

 

Ps 78: 56-57, 58-59, 61-62

Do not forget the works of the Lord!

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

Matthew 18:21 – 19:1

 Then Peter asked him, “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.”  When Jesus had finished this teach­­ing, he left Galilee and arrived at the border of Judea, on the other side of the Jordan River.

 

Gospel Reflection：

It is often difficult to forgive when forgiveness is measured in someone’s favor. How much pain is inflicted on someone? How much damage is done to someone’s property?

There is psychological forgiveness: I forgive you when the pain has subsided. There is also political forgiveness: I forgive you but you have to repay the damage. These, of course, are reasonable in view of human limitations and survival strategies.

For Jesus, however, they are not really forgiveness. They are more of calculation – or accounting. Christian forgiveness is not an emotion or a justification – it is a grace filled decision. The decision is done in favor of relationship – not in someone’s.

It is not sought in terms of individuals – the offender and the offended – but in our bond with God. it takes grace to forgive as it leaps beyond what we can emotionally bear or what is fair.