From: Matthew 18:21-35

Forgiveness of Injuries. The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

[21] Then Peter came up and said to Him (Jesus), “Lord, how often shall my
brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” [22]
Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.

[23] “Therefore the Kingdom of Heaven may be compared to a king who wished
to settle accounts with his servants. [24] When he began the reckoning, one was
brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; [25] and as he could not pay,
his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and
payment to be made. [26] So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Lord,
have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ [27] And out of pity for him
the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. [28] But that same
servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a
hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ [29]
So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, ‘Have patience with me, and I
will pay you.’ [30] He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay
his debt.

[31] When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly dis-
tressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. [32]
Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you
all that debt because you besought me; [33] and should not you have had mercy
on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ [34] And in anger his lord deli-
vered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt. [35] So also My Heavenly
Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your
heart.”

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Commentary:

21-35. Peter’s question and particularly Jesus’ reply prescribe the spirit of un-
derstanding and mercy which should govern Christians’ behavior.

In Hebrew the figure of seventy times seven means the same as “always” (cf.
Genesis 4:24): “Therefore, our Lord did not limit forgiveness to a fixed number,
but declared that it must be continuous and forever” (Chrysostom, “Hom. on St
Matthew”, 6). Here also we can see the contrast between man’s ungenerous,
calculating approach to forgiveness, and God’s infinite mercy. The parable also
clearly shows that we are totally in God’s debt. A talent was the equivalent of
six thousand denarii, and a denarius a working man’s daily wage. Ten thousand
talents, an enormous sum, gives us an idea of the immense value attaching to
the pardon we receive from God. Overall, the parable teaches that we must al-
ways forgive our brothers, and must do so wholeheartedly.

“Force yourself, if necessary, always to forgive those who offend you, from the
very first moment. For the greatest injury or offense that you can suffer from
them is nothing compared to what God has pardoned you” (St. J. Escriva, “The
Way”, 452).

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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.

Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.

Mass Readings

First reading	Ecclesiasticus 27:33-28:9 ©

Resentment and anger, these are foul things,

and both are found with the sinner.

He who exacts vengeance will experience the vengeance of the Lord,

who keeps strict account of sin.

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?

Showing no pity for a man like himself,

can he then plead for his own sins?

Mere creature of flesh, he cherishes resentment;

who will forgive him his sins?

Remember the last things, and stop hating,

remember dissolution and death, and live by the commandments.

Remember the commandments, and do not bear your neighbour ill-will;

remember the covenant of the Most High, and overlook the offence.

Psalm	Psalm 102:1-4,9-12

Second reading	Romans 14:7-9 ©

The life and death of each of us has its influence on others; if we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord, so that alive or dead we belong to the Lord. This explains why Christ both died and came to life, it was so that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

Gospel	Matthew 18:21-35 ©

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.

‘And so the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servants. When the reckoning began, they brought him a man who owed ten thousand talents; but he had no means of paying, so his master gave orders that he should be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, to meet the debt. At this, the servant threw himself down at his master’s feet. “Give me time” he said “and I will pay the whole sum.” And the servant’s master felt so sorry for him that he let him go and cancelled the debt. Now as this servant went out, he happened to meet a fellow servant who owed him one hundred denarii; and he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him. “Pay what you owe me” he said. His fellow servant fell at his feet and implored him, saying, “Give me time and I will pay you.” But the other would not agree; on the contrary, he had him thrown into prison till he should pay the debt. His fellow servants were deeply distressed when they saw what had happened, and they went to their master and reported the whole affair to him. Then the master sent for him. “You wicked servant,” he said “I cancelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me. Were you not bound, then, to have pity on your fellow servant just as I had pity on you?” And in his anger the master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debt. And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.’