Tag: forgiveness

“Love your enemies.” | Saturday of the First Week of Lent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 5:43-48)

“But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust.”

In teaching the disciples, Jesus leaves no doubt about his command. Love of neighbor is universal, not merely for those whose relationship is based on love. Jesus goes on to tell the disciples to love without expecting anything from others in return, and to pray for our persecutors. “For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have?” Instead, he says, “be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” For all who hear this, Jesus frees us to leave judgment to the Father and opens for us through himself the way to the Father—the source and aim of love that knows no limits.

Father in heaven, help me keep in mind today that everybody I encounter is your son or daughter and created in your image. In facing scorn or recalling past hurts, give me the grace to forgive others and pray for them. “Pray for those who persecute you,” Jesus says, “that you may be children of your heavenly Father.” Give me the opportunity today to use the grace I ask for, if it is your will. In such situations, help me call to mind to let go of judgment and love the person you place before me. Teach me, Lord, to love my enemies, the people who don’t like me and show it, the ones who are difficult to love.

From the verse before the Gospel: “Blessed are they whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD. Blessed are they who observe his decrees, who seek him with all their heart. Blessed are they who follow the law of the 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.

“Go first and be reconciled.” | Friday of the First Week of Lent

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 5:20-26)

Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Settle with your opponent quickly while on the way to court.”

As a starting point to surpass the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, Jesus tells his disciples to follow the Ten Commandments: “You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment.” Moving beyond the commandments, Jesus calls the disciples, and all of us, to a higher standard. Along with righteousness, interior disposition opens up forgiveness, reconciliation, and love of neighbor. A scholar of the law asked Jesus, “Who is my brother?” What followed was the parable of the Good Samaritan. The brother Jesus refers to is not limited to family members but includes every person God places in our path.

God, give me the opportunity today to examine my disposition toward others, especially in regard to forgiveness. Letting go of past hurts inflicted by others obstructs my closeness to you, and I don’t want any part of that. I say that, but I know that left to myself, I struggle to forgive and reconcile. Give me the grace to imitate your Son in forgiving others, even from the cross, the place of greatest brokenness. Help me remember not to take myself so seriously, to acknowledge my own hard-heartedness and not be imprisoned by it but seek instead to enter your kingdom. “Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God.”

From the verse before the Gospel: “Cast away from you all the crimes you have committed, says the LORD, And make for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit.”

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.

Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 18:21-35)

“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.”

“Could anyone nourish anger against another and expect healing from the LORD? Could anyone refuse mercy to another like himself, can he seek pardon for his own sins? If one who is but flesh cherishes wrath, who will forgive his sins?” These words of Sirach from the first reading introduce the mortal cost of unforgiveness, which Jesus examines in response to Peter’s question about how often one is to forgive. Jesus tells Peter, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. In the parable about the king settling accounts with his servants, the master hands over to torturers the unforgiving servant until he should pay back the whole debt. “Wrath and anger are hateful things,” says Sirach, “yet the sinner hugs them tight.” In that image of the wrathful servant, Jesus gives each of us the consequence of refusing to forgive. “Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant,” the master asks the servant, “as I had pity on you?”

Father in heaven, help me understand what I often fail to understand and fall into: inability to forgive and its tortures are of my own making. Give me the grace to follow your commandment to love one another and to experience your freedom through the sacrament of reconciliation. That’s the way out; that’s the means of dismantling the ramshackle hut where hurt and unforgiveness dwell. What is the cost of unforgiveness? Let me hear and obey Jesus as he says to me what he says to Peter, that anger and unforgiveness go on thriving “unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.” Lord, be merciful to me, a sinner, and through Christ your Son help me forgive past injuries and rise up to live in the light of your love.

From the responsorial psalm: “For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has he put our transgressions from us. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.”

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.

Thursday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 18:21–19:1)

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.

After Peter approaches Jesus and asks him how often he must forgive others, Jesus tells him not seven times but seventy-seven times. Then Jesus tells Peter the parable of the king settling accounts with his servants. The king, pitying his servant forgives him his debt, but that same servant encounters a fellow servant who owes him, and he refuses to forgive him. In today’s Gospel, Matthew conveys several teachings of Christ relating to forgiveness and mercy. Like the king, God forgives us our debt. By contrast, the threatening demand of the wicked servant—“Pay back what you owe.”—brings to mind grudges that are easily held onto for months and years. What does Jesus say to Peter about this except to forgive your brother from your heart?

God, help me learn at all times to love your merciful heart. Give me the grace I need to let go of grudges, which always result in separation from you. The burden of unforgiveness never fails to prevent me from conforming my heart perfectly to Jesus your Son. But your mercy, Lord, is boundless, and you invite me again and again to imitate you. “Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant,” the king asks, “as I had pity on you?” Teach me to have mercy on others without counting the cost; never let it separate me from you.

From the Gospel acclamation: “Let your countenance shine upon your servant and teach me your statutes.” Make me a means of your mercy to others.

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.

Wednesday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew (Mt 18:15-20)

Jesus said to his disciples: “Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

Jesus teaches his disciples about the need for unity with the Father and reconciliation among one another among members of the Church and within the community. What he teaches speaks to relationships on earth as well as one’s relationship with God. “Amen, I say to you,” Jesus says, “whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” His words guide us toward seeking resolution, forgiveness, and oneness with the Father.

God, help me understand and take in what you share with the disciples about resolving conflict and restoring unity. Whenever I am wronged by someone, help me remember first to address it privately with the person. “If he listens to you,” Jesus says, “you have won over your brother.” If conflict persists, in the witness and reflection of others, help me be willing to acknowledge any wrongdoing on my part and forgive as you forgive me. Give me the grace, Lord, to see as you see and free myself of anything that would bind me from belonging to you.

From the Gospel acclamation: “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, And entreating to us the message of reconciliation.” Reconcile me to you, Lord of heaven and earth.

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.

Tuesday of the Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Jesus said to them, “Why are you terrified, O you of little faith?” Then he got up, rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was great calm.

In today’s Gospel, Matthew tells the story of Jesus and the disciples who follow him. He gets in a boat. Shortly afterward, a violent storm on the Sea of Galilee overtakes them. Although waves are sinking the boat, Jesus is asleep in the back of it. The disciples wake him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” Jesus responds by rebuking them for their lack of faith and then stands up and rebukes the winds and the sea. Suddenly, there was a great calm. With amazement, the disciples say, “What sort of man is this, whom even the winds and the sea obey?” Matthew depicts Jesus’ divine power over nature and the importance of having faith in him even in the most difficult situations.

God, help me understand the role of faith in my relationship with you. It’s easy to see that the storm in the Gospel could be any disquieting situation in life. During it, you are present and in control of the circumstances. Just as you led Lot to safety from great destruction, help me trust that you will guide me safely to freedom, away from any threat to my faith in you. From the responsorial psalm, “Search me, O LORD, and try me; test my soul and my heart.”

The Gospel acclamation says, “I trust in the LORD; my soul trusts in his word.” Lord, help me trust that you can rebuke any storm that the day throws at me. Grant me your peace. May the Holy Spirit, the bond of love between the Father and the Son, be the bond of love among this nation and among all peoples.

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.

Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle

A reading from the holy Gospel according to John

Jesus came, although the doors were locked, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”

In today’s Gospel reading for the feast of Saint Thomas, Jesus appears to the Twelve after having appeared to the others at a separate time. Because he was absent, Thomas doubted the first appearance, saying, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” A week later, Jesus appears again to the disciples, this time with Thomas present. Although the doors were locked, Jesus stands in their midst and wishes them peace. Jesus sees in Thomas disbelief in his presence even as he stands before him. Blessed are those, Jesus says, who come to believe without seeing.

God, help me see and believe in the reality of your Son’s resurrection. Let my faith in you not rest in evidence but in the testimony and witness of others as both have been handed down throughout the ages in your Church. Just as Thomas comes to recognize Jesus’ divine identity, I want his profession “My Lord and my God!” to be mine as well. Give me the grace today to respond to you in firmness of faith, not by any evidence I have in hand, but through the sacraments and teachings of the Church that have been passed to me from generation to generation.

Thank you, Lord, for your presence and for the peace that only Christ can give. Through him, as Saint Paul says, I am a fellow citizen with the holy ones and members of the household of God. Saint Thomas, pray for us!

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.

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

Jesus said to his apostles: “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”

With these challenging words, Jesus invites not only the apostles but anybody who hears him to take up his cross and follow after him. It’s hard to imagine a love greater than that of love for parents or children. Yet, in speaking to the apostles, that is the standard he calls us to strive for. The demand of discipleship to set aside the quest of self-fulfillment has a paradoxical result. In Jesus’ own words, what is that result? “Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” Whoever finds himself worthy of the Lord is the one who loves him more than father or mother or son or daughter. In that worthy state of grace, love of father and mother and son and daughter becomes ever greater.

God, help me remember this way of life that Jesus calls me to and that you, the author of life, give me your Son as the way, the truth, and the life. Calling this to mind, give me the courage to find my life by losing it for your sake. Jesus says, “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.” Give me the grace to recognize that I am an instrument of your love for your people, your “little ones.” In showing them mercy and kindness, I do your will by giving them a cup of cold water to drink.

Lord, be with me today as I put self-interest aside. Stay with me as I receive others, knowing that I love them all the more as I strive to be worthy of you.

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.

Saturday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

When it was evening, they brought [Jesus] many who were possessed by demons, and he drove out the spirits by a word and cured all the sick, to fulfill what had been said by Isaiah the prophet: He took away our infirmities and bore our diseases.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus enters Capernaum and encounters the centurion whose servant was at his home, paralyzed and suffering. Amazed at the centurion’s faith and without going to see the servant, Jesus heals him with the words “You may go; as you have believed, let it be done for you.” As Jesus enters Peter’s house, Peter’s mother-in-law lies in bed with a fever. As Jesus touches her hand, Matthew tells us, the fever left her. In both of these miraculous healings, Jesus merely says a word or touches to restore the servant and Peter’s mother-in-law. Matthew says that “by a word” Jesus drove out demons and healed the sick. With complete faith in the Lord and with only a word from him, what is there he cannot accomplish?

Lord, help me recognize your power to heal, your willingness to extend your healing to all, and the importance of faith in receiving your healing. Just as in yesterday’s reading as Jesus says to the leper “I do will it,” today he shows his compassion, authority, and his mission to bring salvation to all and to restore them to him. God, with the same faith as the centurion, give me the grace to say, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you enter under my roof; only say the word and my servant will be healed.”

From the Gospel acclamation: “Christ took away our infirmities and bore our diseases.”

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.

Friday of the Twelfth Week in Ordinary Time

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

When Jesus came down from the mountain, great crowds followed him. And then a leper approached, did him homage, and said, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean.” He stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, “I will do it. Be made clean.” His leprosy was cleansed immediately.

The leper who approached Jesus suffered greatly from his disease. In Jesus’ time, leprosy was commonly understood to be a punishment for sin. Therefore, in curing the man immediately from his leprosy, Matthew shows us that Jesus had authority to heal both body and soul. By coming to Jesus, the leper is a great example of his trust in Jesus’ ability to heal him and that faith is essential in our relationship with God and his ability to heal us through his grace.

God, help me understand that the relationship the leper had with Jesus, coming to him in faith and trust, is exactly where I need to be with you. Through the recurrence of sin, I can delude myself in believing that what I have done is beyond your forgiveness. In saying, “Lord, if you wish, you can make me clean,” the leper comes to Jesus in childlike faith. Jesus’ reply to him shows that what you will is for all to be restored in wholeness to you. In a state of grace, the leper hears Jesus command him to show himself to the priest and offer the gift prescribed by Moses. In the same way after receiving absolution in Confession, I go with joy in a state of grace to offer myself to Jesus as I receive him in the Eucharist.

Thank you, Lord, for your gift of healing physical and spiritual illnesses through your grace, through the sacraments. When I have sinned, let to come to you in faith to receive your divine mercy.

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.