Matthew 18,21-35.19,1

August 17, 2023 (Thursday)
Let us all remember that we are in the Holy Presence of God.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Gospel Matthew 18,21-35.19,1
Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often
should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-
seven times. “For this reason, the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle
accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was
brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and
children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So, the slave fell on his knees before him,
saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave
released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellows
slaves who owed him a hundred denari; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ Then
his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ But he
refused; then he went and threw him into prison until he would pay the debt. When his fellow slaves saw
what had happened, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had
taken place. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt
because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on
you?’ And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured until he would pay his entire debt.

Reflection:
Lord, let your face shine upon your servant and teach me your statutes. We can hear an echo of these
words from Psalms 119 in the words of the Founder, “learn from Jesus from frequently being in his
company.” It is not easy to forgive, especially when the same person keeps coming back to us asking for
forgiveness once more for the thing they have done time and times again. Yet that is the challenge that
Jesus put before us. We are called to be people of forgiveness and be patient with others allow them time
to grow and change in their own time, in God’s time. It is helpful at times to use the Our Father as a source
of mediation and pause especially on these words, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who
trespass against us.” Let us be people of compassion just as our good God is compassionate towards us.
Let us make the Founder’s prayer our own “God of love, set me aflame with love for you and for my
neighbour.” (Br. Mark Mckeon, FSC)

Lasallian Guiding Principle:
LGP states that, the spirit of faith is a “spirit that allows one to judge and evaluate things in the light of the
gospel.” The Lasallian school nurtures belief in the living presence of God in our world. Faith in the
presence of God calls all students into a deeper awareness of their saving relationship with a caring and
loving God and to see the world through the “eyes of faith”. “Reverence for Life says that the only thing we
are really sure of is that we live and want to go on living. This is something that we share with everything
else that lives, especially for every human being. So, we are brothers and sisters to all living things, and
owe to all of them the same care and respect, that we wish for ourselves.” (Froilan A. Santillan)

Prayer:
Synod on Synodality Prayer

We stand before You, Holy Spirit, as we gather together in Your name.
With You alone to guide us, Make Yourself at home in our hearts;
Teach us the way we must go and how we are to pursue it.
We are weak and sinful; do not let us promote disorder.
Do not let ignorance lead us down the wrong path nor partiality influence our actions.
Let us find in You our unity so that we may journey together to eternal life and not stray from the way of truth and what is right.
All this we ask of You, who are at work in every place and time, in the communion of the Father and the Son, forever and ever. Amen.

St. John Baptist de La Salle, pray for us.

St. Miguel Febres Cordero, pray for us.
Live Jesus in our hearts, forever!

In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Sources:
C. (n.d.). Daily Gospel. Retrieved June 22, 2020, from https://dailygospel.org/M/AM/DLSU ITS, DLSU STRATCOM, DLSU IRPA. (n.d.). Guiding Principles of the Philippine Lasallian Family.
Retrieved June 22, 2020, from http://www.dlsu.edu.ph/inside/lasallian-guiding-principles/default.asp

Prepared by Pratik, Sati D., College of Humanities and Sciences- BS Biochemistry Student, through the DLSMHSI Lasallian Mission and Linkages and Advancement, Campus Ministry, and Chaplaincy

Our Daily Lasallian Gospel, Prayer and Reflection is a DLSMHSI gift to the Lasallian family for the 2019 Celebration of the Year of Vocation and the Tercentenary celebration of the death of our founder SJBDLS.

https://www.dlshsi.edu.ph/daily-lasallian-reflection-prayer #300LaSalle