Wednesday, August 10, 2016
Thursday, 19th Week in Ordinary Time
11 August 2016
Thursday, 19th Week in Ordinary Time
St. Clare, Virgin
Memorial. White.
Ez 12:1 – 12 / Mt 18: 21 – 19:1
St. Clare (1193 – 1253), a disciple of St. Francis of Assisi (1182 – 1226), loved poverty and founded the Order of Poor Clares; she was Abbess of its first convent for 42 years.
Gospel Reading: Mt 18: 21- 35
Then Peter asked him, "Lord, how many times must I forgive the offenses of my brother or sister? Seven times?" Jesus answered, "No, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."
"This story throws light on the kingdom of heaven. A king decided to settle the accounts of his servants. Among the first was one who owed him ten thousand gold ingots. As the man could not repay the debt, the king commanded that he be sold as a slave with his wife, children and all his goods in payment.
"The official threw himself at the feet of the kind and said, 'Give me time, and I will pay you back everything.' The king took pity on him and not only set him free but even canceled his debt.
"This official then left the king's presence and he met one of his companions who owed him a hundred pieces of silver. He grabbed him by the neck, and almost strangled him, shouting, 'Pay me what you owe!' His companions threw himself at his feet and asked him, 'Give me time, and I will pay everything.' The other did not agree, but sent him to prison until he had paid all his debt.
"His companions saw what had happened. They were indignant and so they went and reported everything to their lord. Then the lord summoned his official, 'Wicked servant, I forgave you all that you owed when you begged me to do so. Were you not bound to have pity on your companion as I had pity on you?' The lord was now angry, so he handed his servant over to be punished, until he had paid his whole debt."
Jesus added, "So will my heavenly Father do with you unless each of you sincerely forgive your brother or sister."
Reflection
Jesus declared that our forgiveness of others should have no limits: "No, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." (Mt18: 22)
To further illustrate what limitless forgiveness means, Jesus tells the parable on the "Unmerciful Servant," about the generous forgiveness of the king for a truly huge debt and the unwillingness of the servant whose huge debt was forgiven to do the same for a fellow servant for a much smaller debt.
In the king's mercy to the debtor-servant, Jesus shows the almost limitless mercy and readiness of the heavenly Father to forgive the repentant sinner. At the same time Jesus stresses that we too must learn to be as forgiving as our heavenly Father.
The forgiving king in the parable became merciless on the unforgiving servant: "So will my heavenly Father do with you unless each of you sincerely forgive your brother or sister." (Mt 18: 35)
PRAYER INTENTIONS:
For the eternal repose of the soul of Richard Raul Guibani.
For the eternal repose of the soul of Dy Ka Bian.
For the intentions of the Thursday meeting.
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