HOMILY FOR TWENTY-FOURTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME (YEAR A)
Fr. Thomas OYODE
“Forgiveness: A Divine Gift”
Jesus, having spoken to the disciples about fraternal correction and reconciliation in the Christian community, would not be surprised by Peter’s question about the limit of forgiveness. For us, it is a natural reaction. Today’s gospel, in other words, comes as a balancing of last Sunday’s teaching. It reiterates the very objective of confronting and correcting wrongs which is forgiveness and reconciliation. It also gives further credence to the interpersonal dimension of the Christian faith; God has shown us mercy not simply so that we may serve Him but that we may exercise justice by showing mercy to our fellow men and women. Precisely for this reason, it is important that, to make it easier to forgive, we must strive to understand that forgiveness is a gift, it is a grace that we can only obtain from God and share with others.
Forgiveness is not an easy matter. Peter speaks for very many of us. We could give people a second chance and maybe a third, but should not seven times be good enough? After all, the number seven signifies completeness, perfection. Jesus tells us that seven times may be good but not good enough. He therefore says we are to accommodate and forgive the wrongdoer for as many as seventy times seven times. What does this mean? Jesus’ reply is a reference to Genesis 4:24 where God talks about avenging Cain seven times and Lamech seventy-seven times. In his commentary, St. John Chrysostom notes that Jesus uses seventy times seven times in a figurative sense. In other words, forgiveness should not be quantified because it is incalculable. According to him, “our Lord did not limit forgiveness to a fixed number but declared that it must be continuous and forever”. It also shows that forgiveness can often involve a long process of deliberation and decision-making, needing time and space.
Furthermore, Peter’s question further betrays our tendency to be calculative and ungenerous in granting mercy and forgiveness. Like Peter we tend to place tabs on forgiveness. We hold on to forgiveness and mercy because we often see as a good that we do for others for which they are to be grateful. This is true but forgiveness also does us much good. To teach us how precious the gift and grace of forgiveness is, Jesus gives us a parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:21-35). The central theme of the parable is that we should allow God to teach us how to understand forgiveness and how to grant it to others.
Firstly, Jesus reminds us that we are all indebted to God’s mercy since the king in the parable represents God the Father. He puts mercy and forgiveness in the measure of a talent. A talent is said to be worth six thousand (6,000) denarii. Thus, owing someone ten thousand talents is equivalent to owing sixty (60,000) denarii. We may not be able to quantify this in any modern currency, but it is said that one denarius is the same thing as a single day’s wage. This is calculated to mean that ten thousand (10,000) talents are worth almost a 180-year wage. Calculate your personal daily earnings for another 180 years to understand what was forgiven of this servant. This is the immeasurable value of mercy and forgiveness that we receive from God, our King; it is precious, it is invaluable, it is unquantifiable. For this same reason, there was no way the servant could have been able to pay this debt in his lifetime, the only option obviously was the cancellation that was gratuitously granted to him. In the same way, there is no way we could ever pay for our sins against God. We are saved only by Divine Mercy.
Now, to teach us what to do after receiving God’s mercy, the parable tells us what happened afterward when the forgiven servant encountered his fellow servant who was also indebted to him. We are all servants before God. As it were, the forgiven servant grabbed the neck of his fellow servant who owed him a smaller amount asking to be paid his debt. Since the servant could not pay but only appealed for more patience, he was put in prison until he could pay back what he owed. Jesus uses the character of the unforgiving servant to show us how difficult it is for us to forgive. Our natural tendency is to count scores, to take stock of hurts and to seek redress. It is purely a human inclination. This is why in his Message for World Day of Peace (2002), St. John Paul II said that forgiveness is a “personal choice, a decision of the heart to go against the natural instinct to pay back evil with evil.”
Nevertheless, the king says in the parable, “should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?”. The tone here recalls the words of the Lord’s Prayer, “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”. We forgive because God forgives us. More importantly, we forgive in the way God forgives us; on the condition of compassion and mercy.
We do not forgive because the person deserves it or because the person is sorry. We forgive because we are godly and God-like. Thus, Jesus reminds us of the communal, interpersonal dimension of our faith. Since forgiveness is a gift, a grace, we can only share it if we are to enjoy it, just like any spiritual gift. It is like knowledge. A knowledge that is not shared is no knowledge because it cannot be known. This is why when we forgive, we also do good for ourselves because we continue to live in a spirit of shared forgiveness and peace being channels of forgiveness ourselves.
Forgiveness is difficult. This is even clear from the plot of the parable. We feel the pains of hurt, disrespect, calumny, treachery, hatred and we would not want to consider forgiving our offenders. We can pray for the grace to forgive since in forgiving we also get healing, freedom and peace in God’s presence.
READINGS: Sirach 27:30-28:7; Psalm 103; Romans 14:7-9; Matthew 18:21-35
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FORGIVENESS
Sirach 27:30-28:7; Ps. 103; Rom.14:7-9; Matthew 18:21-35
There are some common reasons why people find it difficult to forgive. They include emotional pain, repetition of offenses, ego and pride, complex relationships, etc. For these reasons, many people struggle with forgiveness. However, today’s message is a call to break this limitation.
Today’s readings deal with the crucial issue of forgiveness. While the gospel reading says we must forgive not once but indefinitely, the first reading says forgiveness is a condition to obtain mercy. The Psalm further strengthens this theme when it says that the Lord forgives and does not treat us according to our sins. Some lessons today are:
God’s Mercy is Unlimited: Today’s readings show that there is no limit to God’s mercy or to the number of times we can ask for mercy. The Psalmist tells us that the Lord is rich in mercy. Jesus told Peter that “forgiveness is not seven times, but seventy times seven”. Peter asked this question because the Jewish rabbis at that time taught that forgiving someone more than three times was unnecessary, citing Amos 1:3–13, where God forgave Israel’s enemies three times and then punished them. So Peter was still thinking in the limited terms of the law rather than in the unlimited terms of grace. Similarly, Christ desires that we forgive indefinitely and unlimitedly.
Forgiveness is a condition for divine blessings. The first reading illustrates this with some questions. The author asks, “Does a man harbor anger against another and yet seek healing from the Lord?” Again, it asked, “Does he have no mercy towards a man like himself and yet pray for his own sins?” This shows that forgiveness is a divine bargain. If we don’t fulfill our part of the contract, we can’t obtain God’s blessings or pardon. Matt. 6:12 adds, “Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.” Let us forgive our neighbors, as their debts are smaller compared to what we owe the King. It may be difficult to let go, but your healing, breakthrough, favor, and salvation depend on that. Don’t be a hindrance to your own salvation.
Unforgiveness pends results: Matthew 5:23–24 says, “If you are offering your gift at the altar, and there you remember that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way and make peace.” Until you forgive, your prayers or sacrifices do not go beyond the sanctuary. Today’s gospel concludes by saying that “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart” (Matt. 18:35). God will not treat our prayers or sacrifices differently from the conditions or instructions He has given.
Don’t be quick to anger. Lastly, the Psalmist says the Lord is slow to anger. If the Lord is slow to anger, it will be dangerous for us to be quick to anger. Anger and wrath, according to the first reading, are abominations. The gospel shows how anger was displayed when it says that the man who was forgiven saw his fellow servant, who was indebted to him, and immediately seized him by the throat and said “Pay what you owe”. Beloved, we must learn to control our temperaments. We must learn to be patient with people. Don’t seize people by the throat because they owe you. As humans, anger is no doubt inevitable, but we must be slow towards it. Prov. 14:29 says, “Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly.”
LET US PRAY
Lord as we worship you today, give us the grace to be slow to anger and be quick to forgive. Amen.
