24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A - 17/9/2023 - Gospel: Mt 18: 21-35
No Tally
Peter asks Jesus, how many times he needs to forgive his brother if he wrongs him. Peter thinks seven times is generous enough. Peter raises a real-life issue living together, hurt and pain, disappointment and disagreement, and broken relationships happen repeatedly. It is either by word or action, both with intention and unintentional, and that is something not easy to avoid. Peter also knows that when hurt and disagreement happens; forgiveness is the way to re-established a broken relationship. Peter also knows that forgiveness are the way of God, and vengeance and retaliation is the way of man. In forgiving, Peter thinks to forgive each other more than once, seven times he said, and that would be generous enough. Jesus surprises Peter by saying to him. When you forgive, you have better not count, don't keep any record. In other words, Jesus tells Peter that there is no limit to forgiving. This teaching shows that true love is limitless. Forgiveness is itself love. It reveals the inner strength of that person. The will to forgive is stronger than the hurt and pain a person has endured. The hardest battle of all is to win oneself. One needs to convince oneself that forgiveness is a noble thing to do. It is an act of freeing oneself from self-pity. An act of forgiveness is not a favour, and therefore there is no need to repay the favour.
The question that Peter raises relates to two individuals. It is the wrongdoing between the two brothers. The word brother here includes both the known and unknown. It is easier to forgive a person whom you don't know than a person whom you know well. It is the feeling of betrayal that prolongs the hurt. A stranger may upset us once and we don't meet them again. The case that Peter raises seems to suggest that the offender is not a stranger, but the known one because offenses are repeated. Jesus takes his question and generalises in is teaching about the power of forgiveness. His teaching suggests that everyone, young and old, has the power to forgive. We all make mistakes and have forgiven. We all need to forgive. Underestimating the power of forgiveness brings not joy but misery. We are called to live a life of joy and peace, not anger and isolation.
In his parable, Jesus talks about a debtor who owes his king an enormous sum that is beyond his ability to pay. The king cancells his debt when he appeals to the king. This man shows no pity on his creditor when he begs for mercy. Hearing his wickedness to his brother, the king was furious. He ordered the first man to see him. The king told the man, 'I callcelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me. Were you not bound, then to have pity on your fellow servant just as I had pity on you'. In his anger, the king put him in jail till he pays all the debt.
The parable makes it very clear, that forgiveness is not an option but it is a duty, an obligation that everyone must do because we are all indebted to each other, namely: farmers, traders, drivers, entertainers, writers, firefighters, nurses, doctors, etc. We are all in debt to our king, the King of the universe who gives us life, health, and memory; talent, intelligence and wisdom. When we refuse to forgive each other; we choose to disobey the king of the universe. We chose to live an ungrateful life. Peter's way shows that he is grateful to his brothers and certainly grateful to his Master. Jesus is his supreme leader, who gives him faith and promises to give him a life full of hope, and eternal life to come. Peter knows that forgiveness has the power to set him free from the feeling of resentment. It sets his heart free and gives him peace. It is the inner joy that makes his life more enjoyable. Unforgiving means self- imprisoning, unhappy, and miserable, and what Peter tries to avoid.
We pray to love the sacrament of Reconciliation.
The question that Peter raises relates to two individuals. It is the wrongdoing between the two brothers. The word brother here includes both the known and unknown. It is easier to forgive a person whom you don't know than a person whom you know well. It is the feeling of betrayal that prolongs the hurt. A stranger may upset us once and we don't meet them again. The case that Peter raises seems to suggest that the offender is not a stranger, but the known one because offenses are repeated. Jesus takes his question and generalises in is teaching about the power of forgiveness. His teaching suggests that everyone, young and old, has the power to forgive. We all make mistakes and have forgiven. We all need to forgive. Underestimating the power of forgiveness brings not joy but misery. We are called to live a life of joy and peace, not anger and isolation.
In his parable, Jesus talks about a debtor who owes his king an enormous sum that is beyond his ability to pay. The king cancells his debt when he appeals to the king. This man shows no pity on his creditor when he begs for mercy. Hearing his wickedness to his brother, the king was furious. He ordered the first man to see him. The king told the man, 'I callcelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me. Were you not bound, then to have pity on your fellow servant just as I had pity on you'. In his anger, the king put him in jail till he pays all the debt.
The parable makes it very clear, that forgiveness is not an option but it is a duty, an obligation that everyone must do because we are all indebted to each other, namely: farmers, traders, drivers, entertainers, writers, firefighters, nurses, doctors, etc. We are all in debt to our king, the King of the universe who gives us life, health, and memory; talent, intelligence and wisdom. When we refuse to forgive each other; we choose to disobey the king of the universe. We chose to live an ungrateful life. Peter's way shows that he is grateful to his brothers and certainly grateful to his Master. Jesus is his supreme leader, who gives him faith and promises to give him a life full of hope, and eternal life to come. Peter knows that forgiveness has the power to set him free from the feeling of resentment. It sets his heart free and gives him peace. It is the inner joy that makes his life more enjoyable. Unforgiving means self- imprisoning, unhappy, and miserable, and what Peter tries to avoid.
We pray to love the sacrament of Reconciliation.
Written by Fr Vũđình Tường
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
