HOMILY OF SUNDAY IN THE 24TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR A
Ecclesiasticus 27:33-28:9, Romans 14:7-9, Matthew 18:21-35
THEME: THE RELEASING POWER OF FORGIVENESS
The act of forgiveness we declare for others is a charity done to ourselves. When we do not keep a grudge against anyone, we simply empty our hearts from any form of psychological and spiritual poison.
If we live by God’s mercy, who are we not to forgive others? If we know the negative impact of grudge and resentment in our minds, we will cherish reconciliation and peace. Every negative emotion is a poison to the soul.
Both the offender and the offended, neither is perfect before the Lord.
We learn from the first reading,
“Forgive your neighbour the hurt he does you, and when you pray, your sins will be forgiven. If a man nurses’ anger against another, can he then demand compassion from the Lord?”
In todays’ gospel, “Peter went up to Jesus and said, ‘Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times.”
In this passage, Jesus shares the parable of the unforgiving servant. This servant, despite having his substantial debt forgiven by their master, refuses to show the same mercy to a fellow servant in debt.
Before God, we are all debtors either because of the bad we have done or for the good we have failed to do.
May we always embrace peace and be agents of reconciliation wherever we find ourselves. Amen.
