Gospel: Mercy and Forgiveness

Today is the Twenty Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, and the Gospel will be read according to the account of St Matthew.

Then Peter went up to him and said, "Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?"

Jesus answered, "Not seven, I tell you, but seventy times.

And so the kingdom of Heaven may be compared to a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servants.

When the reckoning began, they brought him a man who owed ten thousand talents; he had no means of paying, so his master gave orders that he should be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, to meet the debt.

At this time, the servant threw himself down at his master's feet, with the words, 'Be patient with me and I will pay the whole sum.'

And the servant's master felt so sorry for him that he let him go and cancel the debt.

Now as this servant went out, he happened to meet a fellow-servant who owed him one hundred dinarii; and he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him, saying, 'Pay what you owe me.'

His fellow-servant fell at his feet and appealed to him, saying, 'Be patient with me and I will pay you.'

But the other would not agree; on the contrary, he had him drawn into prison until he should pay his debt.

His fellow-servants were deeply distressed when they saw what had happened, and they went to their master and reported the whole affair to him.

Then the master sent for the man and said to him, 'You wicked servant, I cancelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me. Were you not bound, then, to have pity to your fellow-servant just as I had pity on you?'

And in his anger the master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay all of his debt.

And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart."

The Gospel is an important reminder for all of us to remember God's mercy when we look at other people's faults that they commit towards us. When wrong is done to us, our immediate reaction is to seek reparation and take revenge. We tend to forget the transgressions we commit to others, and to God himself, and that there is no one who is perfect. When we ask God's forgiveness, we have to remind ourselves of this mercy, and share this loving experience to our own brothers and sisters, too, so that they can have the same experience that we did, that they can extend to others.

Forgiveness is not for our enemies. It is for us. When we forgive, we let go of all the hatred in our heart, and it gives us peace. And where there is peace, there is God. 

This Gospel is also about justice. When an unforgiving brother harms us, God sees everything that is happening and he will make sure that he will grant us the justice that we need. God is a loving Father. And a loving Father protects his children from all sorts of harm and danger. He will be there for us, and we just have to have faith in his goodness. For God is faithful to his promises. He is never late. Eventually, he will hear all our prayers and deliver us from all evil, pain, and suffering of this world.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we trust in your goodness, love, and mercy. Help us to forgive others and grant us peace all our days. Protect us from fear and aggression. Show us the mercy that your Son has shown into the world, so that we can immitate it just as we experienced it. Through Jesus Christ, and the mantle of protection of the Blessed Mother, together with the power of the Holy Spirit, we pray. Amen.

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