Word to the Wise
Thursday, August 12, 2021 - Thursday in the 19th Week in Ordinary Time
[Josh 3:7-10a, 11, 13-17 and Matt 18:21—19:1]Peter approached Jesus and asked him, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?" Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times." [Matthew]
I think the wonderful parable of the Unforgiving Servant in the Gospel According to Matthew makes a lot more sense if one reads first the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples, and which we say thousands of times in our Christian lives - the "Our Father" or "Lord's Prayer." [Matt. 6:9-15] The prayer itself seems to end at verse 13, but the two verses that follow are very important because they reinforce a verse in the prayer that we can easily overlook: "And forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us...." [v. 12] The words of vv. 14-15 say: "If you forgive others their transgressions, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, neither will your Father forgive your transgressions." [vv. 14-15]
After reading those words, the story of the Unforgiving Servant makes much more sense. It ends with the thundering question from the Master: "You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?"
This parable, with its echo of the Lord's Prayer, is the centerpiece of the reconciliation service that is a part of every parish mission I preach. I follow it with an examination of conscience that focuses on forgiveness instead of on individual sins. The impact is always profound. We Catholics tend to think that the Sacrament of Reconciliation takes care of forgiveness, but it is only the beginning. If we leave the confessional and then fail to extend the same act of mercy to our neighbor, we put ourselves squarely in the same position as the Unforgiving Servant in the parable! I have discovered in years of preaching parish missions that some folks carry the burden of unforgiveness for years and years! They feel that forgiveness amounts to forgetting an offense as if it never happened. No, there IS a matter of justice and restoration insofar as that is possible. But that may not be possible after many years have gone by. Nevertheless, forgiveness is always possible no matter when. That is Jesus' challenge to us as disciples. It is contained over and over again in the prayer he taught us. The parable of the Unforgiving Servant can help us understand better just what we are praying for! AMEN