Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint 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 his brother from his heart.”
Don’t be mean to your brother when you have been forgiven
1) How many times should we forgive? If there is something that is really difficult for us it is to forgive, because we feel we are being taken for fools. The process of forgiveness is to bring about change. When someone goes and asks for forgiveness it is because he seeks relief in his soul and wants to change. Forgiveness is for the weak who falls and wants to change, not for the wicked who only seek to justify their actions.
2) The king’s forgiveness: The king acts with justice, but faced with the plea and a promise to change he chooses the option of forgiveness. It is similar to our relationship with God. How many times do you ask Him to forgive the huge mistakes you make? Only you know the huge mistakes you have made in your life, those mistakes of yours that did not and will not ever be known. God puts all of them on the cross and deals with them. For one simple reason, He loves you.
3) The misery of one who does not forgive: The gospel shows us that this person who was forgiven does not have the same care to forgive his colleague over an absurd amount. We are like this. God forgives us so many times and we have a hard time forgiving a small thing our brother has done in the same way. We directly block him and we don’t even dare talk to him. We are capable of blocking him on our phone and from our life without even looking into his eyes. God gives us so many opportunities and we do not give others a single one. Please, don’t be mean to someone who has barely hurt you when you have done much worse in the life of another. Have mercy!
God bless you and be with you in the name of the Father, of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. And always remember, Heaven is our goal!
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