A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 18:21-35)
When [the king] 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.
Jesus tells Peter a parable in response to his question: “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” After Jesus relates the story of the king who shows compassion and forgives the servant, he then reveals the shadow side of the servant, which emerges as he encounters a fellow servant who owes him a much smaller debt. “Pay back what you owe,” he demands. And although the fellow servant begged for him to be patient in paying back the debt, the servant refused and had him put in prison. When the fellow servants reported to the king what they had witnessed, he had the servant brought before him and, as Matthew tells us, handed him over to torturers until he paid back his entire debt. Jesus finishes by saying, “So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.” Can the words of Jesus on the necessity of forgiveness be any clearer?
God, from what I have learned through experience, complete forgiveness is impossible when I rely only on my own capacity. In those moments when I meet with unforgiveness, complete what I can’t accomplish if left to myself. Give me the grace needed to be merciful with others just as you are merciful with me. How often, Lord, must I forgive my brother? I can’t fathom the number; let me trust in the constant aid of your mercy.
From the responsorial psalm: “Remember that your compassion, O LORD, and your kindness are from of old. In your kindness remember me, because of your goodness, O LORD. Remember your mercies, O Lord.”
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.