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.”
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Reflection:
Why is it that many of us are not able to forgive? This is for the reason
that we think highly of ourselves and we think that we are superior than the
person who sinned against us. Unforgiveness also emanates from our arrogance,
pride and lack of humility. Unforgiveness is also a sign that we love ourselves
more than we love Jesus.
If we truly love Jesus and if we really are humble we would be forgiving
no matter how deep the wound that had been inflicted upon us. For example, if a
wayward spouse would ask for forgiveness we would think deeply upon it and
would eventually forgive.
If we would continue to provide safe harbor for hatred and unforgiveness
in our hearts, we are only creating an invisible prison cell within ourselves.
Prison cell that perpetually punish and enslave us.
In our gospel, Peter asked Jesus: “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 (Matthew 18:21-22). This simply
means that forgiveness should be never-ending or limitless.
Those who are truly humble and those who truly love Jesus are the ones
capable of unlimited forgiveness. Otherwise we simply are great pretenders:
Pretenders to be humble and lovers of Jesus.
Are you forgiving? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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