Jos. 3:7- 10a, 11,13-17/Ps. 114:1-2,3-6/Matt.18:21-19:1

The Gospel passage today presents to us the parable of a servant who received the gift of forgiveness from his master but then refused to pass on that same gift to a fellow servant.

This ungrateful servant, who owed his master a large sum of money, ten thousand talents, was ungrateful and uncharitable in his actions as he couldn’t replicate this same kind of gracious forgiveness from his master.

The first servant owed a kind of debt that could never be paid – a debt that one could only be condemned or receive mercy for. So, his desperate plea to be given time to pay the whole sum made no sense. He could never have paid it back in several lifetimes. Amazingly, the king simply cancelled the whole debt.

Beloved, we are taught here of the triumph of grace over justice. Jesus reveals a God whose mercy triumphs over justice.

Friends, many of us have had a falling out with a close friend, a family member, a colleague, etc. Perhaps, we exchanged words that we later regretted. In fact, in some instances, we did exchange an apology but the relationship was never the same again. We have all hurt someone or been hurt. Sometimes, we are the ones who need forgiveness, other times we are the ones who need to forgive.

Whatever the circumstance, we must do what is necessary to release ourselves from the stronghold of unforgiveness. The truth is that, long held resentment can harm us spiritually and emotionally. The “moral of the story” can be psychologized by arguing that one who does not forgive others has never really received God’s forgiveness in the first place.

Forgiving people who have caused us pain, who have hurt us, betrayed us etc. can be very difficult, nevertheless, we need to realize that the pain of living with bitterness and unforgiveness can poison our soul, contaminate the channels of communication and sanctification between God and us.

This is a parable which both celebrates God’s readiness to forgive us whenever we ask for forgiveness and challenges us to be as ready to forgive each other as God forgives us. Jesus suggests that the gift of forgiveness we receive from God obliges us to pass on that same gift to others when it is asked for.

Beloved, in the light of our new beginning, God commands forgiveness in return from us, He demands that we forgive others and extend his grace as we have been shown grace. In other words, when God graces us, He looks to us to grace others with what has been so generously given to us. This is our calling as Christians, and what we are all expected to do, and what we should live up to, in our daily actions and lives.

Mass intentions: I pray today for all the intentions of the Divine Mercy Prayer Warriors, especially for all those who are sick, undergoing any kind of pain, that the Divine Healer may strengthen and heal them. May God heal and comfort you all.