24th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Year A
Today we hear St Peter being outspoken once again, asking Jesus a question. ‘How often must I forgive my brother?’ Last week we heard about how Jesus told us, how to address the problem of people sinning against us and the community, by giving correction and guidance. Now the narrative continues, and we focus on how we should forgive people when they sin against us.
It was known during that time in Palestine, that some Rabbis consider ‘three times’ to be a sufficient number to forgive someone for the same offense. So, Peter is being very generous in suggesting ‘seven times’ to Jesus. However, Jesus responds and takes everyone by surprise, ‘not seven times I tell you, but seventy-seven times.’ This is to highlight that there is no limit for forgiveness, it is boundless. To illustrate his point about the unlimitedness of forgiveness, Jesus tells us this parable about a king and his unforgiving servant who owes a huge amount of debt.
Elsewhere, we read in the Gospels, Jesus teaches us how to forgive and to receive God’s mercy through the beatitudes and introducing us to the Lord’s Prayer.
Today Jesus calls us to a very high standard of mercy being his disciples. We cannot speak words of forgiveness while harbouring resentment in our hearts.
We read in the Catechism that true forgiveness entails a vital participation coming from the depths of our hearts. It shines forth like a beacon of holiness and mercy, which is the love of God radiating down upon us through his divine grace.
It is true, it is not easy to forgive, especially after years of hurt. Some injuries are so deep, that it might seem impossible to forgive and forget. Nevertheless, if we remember how much God has forgiven us over the years, then we can avoid becoming like that unforgiving servant in today’s parable.
As for me personally, in the past I was quite choosey about who I accepted as friends on social media sites like Facebook. Especially my former school friends. Remembering their hurtful words towards me in my younger days at secondary school. Obviously, these people probably have no recollection of these past events. However, I do still find myself hovering my figure over the ‘reject’ button as I spend some time contemplating over my feelings.
Forgiveness is so difficult, yet for the Church, it is so important to let go and to show mercy. We are encouraged to pray for these people, asking the Holy Spirit to heal our hearts of division and injury, and turning it into love and compassion, that purifies the memory by transforming the hurt into a prayer of intercession. In this way, we can let go, and forgive our enemies interiorly from our own hearts.
So, let us during this Mass, ask the Holy Spirit to open up our hearts this day, as we place all our pains, hurt and worries from our past onto the altar, as we offer them up to the Lord.
We are called to imitate Christ in a special way, since Jesus forgave the Romans & the Jewish people from their sins, as they crucified him upon the cross, He said: ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do’, we should do the same in our lives.
There is already too much pain and suffering in this world, let us try to reduce the anxiety in our hearts by placing them into the Lord’s hands.
As we pray the Lord’s prayer together a bit later on, let us reflect upon these words: ‘give us today our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen.’
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