17 September 2017
First reading
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Ecclesiasticus 27:33-28:9
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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.
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.
Responsorial Psalm
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Psalm 102(103):1-4,9-12
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Second reading
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Romans 14:7-9
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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 Acclamation
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Alleluia, alleluia!
you have the message of eternal life.
Alleluia!
Gospel
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Matthew 18:21-35
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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.’
‘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.’
Reflection
by Gary Tulabut
Whenever I pray the Lord’s Prayer, and whenever I am on the part which says “as we forgive those who sinned against us,” pictures and names of people who have wronged me usually flash in my mind. I know that I have forgiven them already because this has happened probably more than 70 times seven.
One of these people was Noli (not his real name).We used to be best friends in college. Though I knew in my heart that I have forgiven him, still twenty years have passed after our graduation, I have not spoken to him. I avoid replying to his comments on my social media posts, and I have never gone to any reunion or get-together whenever I knew he was coming.
What wrong has he done to me? He courted the girl who he knew I was in-love with. Anyway, neither of us became the boyfriend. Basted parehas. But still! That’s betrayal. Treason.
But God works in mysterious ways to those who ask help in anything. Even in forgiving those who wronged us. Just three weeks ago, I went to the wake of the father of another college classmate. And guess who was there ahead of me. Noli.
I still joked about not wanting to see him. But I knew we already buried the hatchet from that moment on. What made our meeting become much easier is that I was then with my new found love (another one of God’s mysterious works in my life).
One of these people was Noli (not his real name).We used to be best friends in college. Though I knew in my heart that I have forgiven him, still twenty years have passed after our graduation, I have not spoken to him. I avoid replying to his comments on my social media posts, and I have never gone to any reunion or get-together whenever I knew he was coming.
What wrong has he done to me? He courted the girl who he knew I was in-love with. Anyway, neither of us became the boyfriend. Basted parehas. But still! That’s betrayal. Treason.
But God works in mysterious ways to those who ask help in anything. Even in forgiving those who wronged us. Just three weeks ago, I went to the wake of the father of another college classmate. And guess who was there ahead of me. Noli.
I still joked about not wanting to see him. But I knew we already buried the hatchet from that moment on. What made our meeting become much easier is that I was then with my new found love (another one of God’s mysterious works in my life).
Thank You God for showing us how to forgive. Guide us whenever it’s hard to do so. Lead us to the right way. Amen.
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