Walking with Jesus: 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

For Sunday, September 17, 2023

Sirach 27:30-28:7, Romans 14:7-9, Matthew 18:21-35

The readings today tell me to look at myself and the people who move in and out of my daily life. They indirectly ask if I am a caring, loving, and forgiving person. Automatically I respond in the affirmative for the first two and hopefully yes for the third. The readings ask me directly to look at the people who move in and out of my life through God’s eyes and how God has responded to me so far in all of my life. Has God cared, loved and forgiven me? YES, all the time. Has God helped me grow deeper in His image and likeness? Well, yes … God has helped me repeatedly ... but have I listened to God? Have I been grateful to Him for His help, gifts and love? Have I realized that His gifts lead me daily to Himself and heaven? Do I really think that God loves me that much? He does. Do I believe this? Every word, action, teaching and miracle of Jesus affirms God’s love for me individually. His constant presence and mercy confirms this. What can I do to be tuned in to God and turn off the doubtfulness and skepticism within me? The readings lay out a plan. Let us ask for the grace to listen to and love Our Lord and Redeemer.

The first reading from Sirach is like an advice column. In fact in the early days it was known as “Ecclesiasticus,” a shortened title in Latin for a book of the Church. It was used frequently in the early centuries of the Western Church was as a catechetical aid. Today the wisdom author, Ben Sira, urges mercy. He points out the contradiction of seeking mercy for ourselves while refusing our mercy to another. He takes an interesting approach, asking us to reframe the vengeance that seems so necessary today while asking whether it would seem so important when we are in our last days. Last week we heard about the love commandments; today the emphasis is urging us to “hate not your neighbor” but to be people of mercy. So how am I doing? Do I realize that forgiving the other is so often the most sincere way I can show love?

Paul is dealing with conflicts that exist in the Roman community where he is ministering. We know from reading his letters to the Corinthians that there are factions within the Church. In Rome there are tensions and divisions with Roman Christians as well. Some are convinced that their faith in Christ no longer requires them to follow certain practices of the Jewish law that once bound them. Others are not sure of this and continue to observe them. Each party feels they are superior. Paul preaches unity. They are now to live for the Lord who died for them. How do I love God? By living my life honoring God. I do not build myself up but make my life in and for God. Living and dying are the basic things we do. Even those things, actually all things we do, are to be done to God’s glory. This message comes from Paul, the Gospel writers, and from Jesus Himself.

Matthew has been dealing with the practical questions of forgiveness and church order. In today’s gospel, perhaps only an accountant would ask: How much money is involved? This leads to a staggering discovery. Today’s translation says the debtor owes a huge amount; older versions say 10,000 talents. Now 100 denarii represents a laborer's wages for 100 days of work. Ten thousand talents equate to 150,000 years of wages. If we take this literally, we miss the point: The numbers indicate how small the second servant’s debt is in comparison with what the first servant owes the king, a debt that can never be repaid.

The lessons are about sin. Our sins hurt ourselves and others. We tend to point out the wrong that has been done to us and never forget it. Look what he/she did … it’s unfair … it hurt me. We are called to forgive our brothers and sisters. These are hurtful sins. Now God forgives our sins … and this should enable us to forgive others without limit.

During World War II, C.S. Lewis wrote these powerful words:

To forgive the incessant provocations of daily life — to keep on forgiving the bossy mother-in-law, the bullying husband, the nagging wife, the selfish daughter, the deceitful son — how can we do it? Only, I think, by meaning our words when we say in our prayers each night: Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those that trespass against us. We are offered forgiveness on no other terms. To refuse to do it is to refuse God’s mercy on ourselves. ["On Forgiveness," C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996)]

So I reflect on:

• Within the constraints of my own life, what might represent a first step or steps toward recognizing God’s overflowing mercy each day to me?
• Finish this sentence: If I forgive [name] as God forgives me, I would [add my own thoughts and actions].

Sacred Space 2023 states:

“Forgiveness can be very hard. C.S. Lewis wrote: ‘Everyone says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive.’ But when I fail to forgive, I am shackled to the evil that has been done to me. I cannot move forward. How free am I, or am I tied to resentments?”