Matthew 18,21-35

March 14, 2023 (Tuesday)
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.

Matthew 18,21-35
Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?
As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.
“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his
servants. When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; 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. So, the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, `Lord, have patience with me, and I
will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the
debt. 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.’ So, his fellow servant fell down
and pleaded with him, `Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in
prison till he should pay the debt. When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, 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 servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me; and should
not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his lord delivered
him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt. So also, my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if
you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Reflection:
The slave pleaded for mercy and consideration only to postpone his financial dues to the king. The extraordinarily generous king simply exonerated all the dues of the slave. Instead of sharing the newly found mercy and compassion of the king with his fellow men, the slave mercilessly exerted his rights to punish the defaulter for a very paltry sum of money in comparison to what the he had received from the king. No wonder the king got furious about the mean behaviour and aborted the forgiveness he so lavishly bestowed on the slave. At times ‘rights’ are legal and justifiable. But forgiveness borne out of mercy and compassion is sublime and divine. If Peter was trying to impress Jesus with his ‘seven times’ (a perfect number in Jewish parlance) generosity of forgiveness, Jesus’ countered him with ‘seventy times seven’ meaning that forgiveness is beyond numbers and human calculations. We pray the ‘Our Father’ frequently during which we ask for God’s forgiveness on the basis of our readiness to forgive others. This is not to be construed as a condition for our own forgiveness from God, but the mind-set we ought to create and foster toward others. God, though Jesus, has graciously forgiven all debt of sin. The only response to such mercy is to let it transform heart to act with same kind of graciousness toward others. This enables a person to voluntarily forgo vengeance and foster reconciliation. Those who do not learn to imitate godly ways in their dealings with one another will be treated by God in the same way they have treated others. ‘They (The Brothers) welcome with gratitude the grace of reconciliation and forgiveness between its members’ (R.48/01).

Lasallian Guiding Principle:
LGP states that, “Avenues and opportunities for self- propelled individual, collective and institutional life- affirming action to respond to varied social issues must be provided in every Lasallian institution.” The overflowing love from Christ who embraced us despite our sinfulness is the source of our power whenever we serve our needy brothers and sisters. That same love became our founder’s inspiration as he served the poor people during his time. Lasallians today are called to take Christ’s love as a motivation to see others as an opportunity to show acts of generosity. May our simple gestures of giving an inspiration to them to do the same.

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