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Theo Tigno•
3/16/2004 6:40 am
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Tuesday, March 16th 2004 |
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."
Dawg's thought:
Today's prayer intention is for someone you need to forgive in your own heart.
Lent is a time of purification in our lives, and one of the things that we are called to do in this purification is to examine our hearts and see where we have failed to love.
Our God is merciful and just. He is more than willing to show each of us mercy, and He is just in His mercy. Today's reading illustrates what is only just. We must be willing to love as Jesus loves, willing to die to ourselves in humility and obedience. All things that get in the way of us being charitable to our fellow brothers and sisters is from Satan himself, who is unmerciful and unjust. We must get rid of the things that get in the way of our hearts being merciful (sin) and replace them with things that are of God (virtue).
We must be willing to imitate God in His mercy and compassion. We must be willing to forgive one another, and in forgiving one another, we grow closer to God. In this way, we must be willing to accept each opportunity to forgive with gratitude in helping us get to heaven. Take care and God Bless.
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