Dear Parishioner
In the parable in today's Gospel reading, that of the merciful King (see Mt 18:21-35), twice we find this plea: "Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full" (vv. 26, 29). The first time it is pronounced by the servant who owes his master ten thousand talents, an enormous sum. The second time it is repeated by another servant who has a small debt to the servant who has that enormous debt to the King.
The heart of the parable is the clemency the master shows towards his servant with the bigger debt. The evangelist underlines that, "moved with compassion the master let him go and forgave him the loan" (v. 27). An enormous debt, therefore a huge remission! But that servant, immediately afterwards, showed himself to be ruthless towards his companion, who owed him a small sum. He does not listen to him, he is extremely hostile towards him and has him thrown in prison until he has paid his debt (see v. 30). The master hears about this and, outraged, calls the wicked servant back and has him condemned (see vv. 32-34). "I forgave you a great deal and you are not capable of forgiving so little?"
In the parable we find two different attitudes: God's - represented by the king who forgives a lot, because God always forgives - and the human person's represented by the servant with a great deal of debt. In God we see the extent His divine justice pervaded with mercy, and in the human attitude we see the deprivation of justice with ruthlessness and forgiveness. Jesus exhorts us to open ourselves with courage to the strength of forgiveness, because in life not everything can be resolved with justice. We know this. There is a need for that merciful love, which is also at the basis of the Lord's answer to Peter's question, which precedes the parable. Peter's question goes like this: "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him?" (v. 21). And Jesus replies, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times" (v. 22). In the symbolic language of the Bible this means that we are called to forgive always.
How much suffering, how many wounds, how many wars could be avoided if forgiveness and mercy were the style of our life! Even in families. It is necessary to apply merciful love to all human relationships: between spouses, between parents and children, within our communities, in the Church and also in society and politics.
The first reading from the book of Wisdom reminds us to "remember your end and stop hating". A beautiful phrase. When our life comes to a halt every things ends, we will be in a coffin … and will we take our hatred there? Let's take home this phrase "remember your end and stop hating".
It is not easy to forgive because in moments of calm our resentments revisit us and we begin to feel a whirlwind of emotions that reminds us that we have not yet forgiven. It is like the house fly in the summer that keeps coming back and bothers us. Forgiveness does not happen in a moment but it is a choice we make continuously to do away with our resentment, that hatred that keeps coming back. Therefore the catch word "Let's think of our end and stop hating".
Today's parable helps us to grasp fully the meaning of that phrase we recite in the Lord's Prayer: "And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us" (see Mt 6:12). It is a condition. Think of your end, of God's forgiveness, and stop hating. Reject resentment, that bothersome fly that keeps coming back. If we do not strive to forgive and to love, we will not be forgiven and loved either.
Let us entrust ourselves to the maternal intercession of the Mother of God and our patron saint Augustine: May they help us to realise how much we are in debt to God, and to remember that always, so that our hearts may be open to mercy and goodness. Amen
Fr Jijo George
Daily for the sick clergy of our Diocese
The sick and housebound
Those who have recently died
Years Mind:
Monday: Fr Theophilus Borer, Abp George Andrew Beck, Canon James Hemming, Deacon Arthur Woods
Tuesday: Fr Louis Heston
Thursday: Fr John Bergin
Friday: Fr Anthony Mayston
Saturday: Ann Logan
Sunday: Norman Anthony, Canon Frederick Gahagan
First Reading: Wisdom 2:12,17-20
Let us condemn him to a shameful death.
Second Reading: James 3:16-4:3
Peacemakers, when they work for peace, sow the seeds which will bear fruit in holiness.
Gospel: Mark 9:30-37
The Son of Man will be delivered. If anyone wants to be first, he must make himself servant of all.