Forgive your brother as God forgives you!

Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time  A

L-Erbgħa u għoxrin Ħadd matul is-Sena   2017

Missalin A  p 374

Reading 1 

Sirach 27:30-28:7

Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight. The vengeful will suffer the LORD's vengeance, for he remembers their sins in detail. Forgive your neighbor's injustice; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven. Could anyone nourish anger against another and expect healing from the LORD? Could anyone refuse mercy to another like himself, can he seek pardon for his own sins? If one who is but flesh cherishes wrath, who will forgive his sins? Remember your last days, set enmity aside;
remember death and decay, and cease from sin! Think of the commandments, hate not your neighbor; remember the Most High's covenant, and overlook faults.

L-Ewwel Lezzjoni

Qari mill-Ktieb ta' Bin Sirak 27, 30 – 28, 7

Għadab u qilla, dawn ukoll ta' min jistmerrhom, Min ifittex jitħallas b'idejh, isib ħlasu mingħand il-Mulej, li jifli sewwa dnubietu. Aħfer il-proxxmu dnubietu, u mbagħad titlob u dnubietek jinħafrulek. Bniedem irawwem għadab għal ieħor, u mbagħad  se jfittex fejqan mingħand il-Mulej? Minn bniedem bħalu m'għandux ħniena, u mbagħad se jitlob għal dnubietu? Jekk bniedem jibqa' mgħaddab, min se jpattilu għal dnubietu? Ftakar fl-aħħar ta' ħajtek, u ieqaf mill-mibegħda; ftakar fit-taħsir u l-mewt, u oqgħod għall-kmandamenti. Ftakar fil-kmandamenti u tobgħodx il-proxxmu, ftakar fil-patt ta' l-Għoli u agħlaq għajnejk għall-offiża. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Responsorial Psalm 

PSALM 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12

R. (8) The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.

Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.                                                 R.

He pardons all your iniquities,
heals all your ills.
redeems your life from destruction,
he crowns you with kindness and compassion.                    R.

He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.                   R.

For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.                       R.

Salm Responsorjali                                                                                  

Salm 102 (103)

   R/   Ħanin u twajjeb il-Mulej.

Bierek, ruħ tiegħi, il-Mulej!

B'qalbi kollha nbierek l-isem qaddis tiegħu.

Bierek, ruħ tiegħi, il-Mulej,

u la tinsiex il-ġid kollu li għamel miegħek.                   R/

Hu jaħfer dnubietek kollha;

ifejjaq il-mamrd tiegħek kollu;

jifdi lil ħajtek mill-qabar,

iħaddnek bit-tjieba u l-ħniena.                                     R/

Ma joqgħodx jitlewwem magħna,

u anqas jinkorla għal dejjem.

Ma mexiex magħna skond ma ħaqqhom ħtijietna;

ma ħallasniex skond ma ħaqqha ħżunitna.                R/

daqskemm huma s-smewwiet 'il fuq mill-art,

hekk hi kbira tjubitu ma' min jibża minnu;

daqs kemm hu mbiegħed il-Lvant mill-Punent,

hekk hu jbiegħed minna ħtijietna.                                R/

Reading 2 

Romans 14:7-9

Brothers and sisters: None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself. For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's. For this is why Christ died and came to life, that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

It-Tieni Lezzjoni

Qari mill-Ittra ta' San Pawl Appostlu lir-Rumani 14, 7-9

Ħuti, ħadd minna ma jgħix għalih innifsu,  u ħadd ma jmut għalih innifsu. Jekk ngħixu, ngħixu għall-Mulej; jekk immutu, immutu għall-Mulej. Sew jekk ngħixu, mela, sew jekk immutu,  aħna tal-Mulej.  Kristu għalhekk miet u rxoxota, biex ikun Sid kemm tal-ħajjin u kemm tal-mejtin. Il-Kelma tal-Mulej

Gospel 

Matthew 18:21-35

Peter approached Jesus and asked him, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive? As many as seven times?"  Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.  That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants.  When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount.  Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt.  At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.' Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan.  When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller  amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, 'Pay back what you owe.' Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' But he refused.  Instead, he had the fellow servant put in prison until he paid back the debt.  Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair.  His master summoned him and said to him, '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?' Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt.  So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart."

Evanġelju

Qari mill-Evanġelju skond San Mattew 18, 21-35

F'dak iż-żmiien,  Pietru resaq lejn Ġesu' u qallu: "Mulej, xi kemm-il darba jrid jonqosni hija biex jiena naħfirlu? Sa seba' darbiet? Wieġbu Ġesu':  "Ma ngħidlekx sa seba' darbiet,  imma sa sebgħa u sebgħin darba.   Għalhekk is-Saltna  tas-Smewwiet nistgħu nxebbħuha ma' wieħed sultan,  li ried jagħmel il-kontijiet mal-qaddejja tiegħu.  Kif beda jagħmel dan, ħadulu quddiemu wieħed li kellu jagħtih għaxart elef talent.  Billi ma kellux minn fejn irroddhomlu, is-sinjur ordna li jinbiegħu hu, martu, uliedu u kull ma kellu, ħalli b'hekk jitħallas id-dejn. Imma l-qaddej nxteħet quddiemu jitolbu u jgħidlu: "Sinjur, stabar ftit bija, kollox inroddlok." Is-sinjur  ġietu ħasra minn dak il-qaddej, bagħtu u ħafirlu dejnu. Mela dak il-qaddej joħroġ, u jiltlaqa' ma' wieħed minn sħabu, li kellu jagħtih mitt dinar;  qabdu minn għonqu u beda jagħfsu.   "Ħallas dejnek,"  qallu.   Il-qaddej sieħbu nxteħet quddiemu  jitolbu bil-ħniena u jgħidlu; "Stabar ftit bija u  rroddlok."  Imma dak ma riedx jaf, mar u xeħtu  l-ħabs sa ma  jrodd kull ma kellu jagħtih.Sħabu l-qaddejja raw il-ġrajja kollu u sewdu qalbhom ħafna; marru għand is-sinjur tagħhom u tarrfulu kull ma kien ġara. Imbagħad is-sinjur bagħat għalih u qallu:  "Ja qaddej ħażin,  meta jiena ħfirtlek dak id-dejn kollu wara li tlabtni bil-ħniena, ma kienx imissek int ukoll tħenn għal sieħbek kif ħennejt jien  għalik?"   U saħan bl-aħrax is-sinjur  għalih, u taħ f'idejn min jaħqru sa ma jrodd kull ma kellu jagħti. Hekk jagħmel lilkom  Missieri li hu fis-Smewwiet  jekk ma taħfrux lil xulxin minn  qalbkom." Il-Kelma tal-Mulej 

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Forgiveness has Implications for this Life and the Next

A reflection by Fr. Thomas Rosica, CSB 

Sunday’s Gospel (Matthew 18:21-35) addresses the necessity of repentance and repeated forgiveness that are required of those who call themselves Christian. The Gospel passage can be divided into two major sections. The first is Peter’s question to Jesus: “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive? As many as seven times?” (18:21-22). This is followed by Jesus’ response that forgiveness knows no bounds or limits (18:22). The second section is the parable of the unmerciful servant that Jesus uses to drive home his point (18:23-34).

There is some similarity between this story in Matthew and the teaching related in Luke 17:4, but the parable and its ending are unique to the Matthean account. In examining Matthew’s parable of the king and the servant closely, we realize that it doesn’t necessarily describe Jesus’ insistence on repeated forgiveness which was the original purpose of Peter’s question and Jesus’ subsequent reply. The first slave had become vulnerable; he was weak and worthless before the king as he stood before him begging. He regains power by demanding repayment of his fellow slave and imprisonment when he cannot pay. He will not relinquish this power over others. His fellow servants then go and report him to the king; and yet their action is like that of the first servant whom they incriminate. In the end, the fellow servants have behaved in the same way he did; they failed to forgive and demanded punishment. In the final analysis, the Father’s forgiveness, already given, will be withdrawn at the final judgment for those who have not imitated his forgiveness by their own (18:35). Jesus warns that his heavenly Father will give those who are unforgiving the same treatment that the king accorded the unmerciful servant.

Lingering questions

What does it mean to forgive? First of all, forgiveness implies that there is something to forgive. Whether it’s something big or small, the need for forgiveness means somebody has done something wrong. The Greek word used for “forgiveness” in today’s parable means “to send away” or “to make apart.” Forgiveness “sends away” whatever has been keeping people apart. Anger or feelings of vengeance are “sent away.” By forgiving, one is no longer under the control of the past sinful act that he/she suffered. We know that Jesus demands boundless forgiveness of his disciples. Forgiving and showing mercy, however are not always simple matters.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean that those involved will be reconciled immediately. Nevertheless it begins the healing process and helps to remove feelings of revenge. To ignore Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness has serious implications in this life and in the next. Do we really believe that our eternal destiny and salvation are harmed or hindered by our inability to forgive while we are on this earth? How do we do justice and show mercy? These are certainly not easy questions for us to answer and they surface in us a myriad of emotions which are also present in this parable.

That is why we need to listen closely to the words of Sirach in today’s first reading (27:30-28:7): “Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight. The vengeful will suffer the LORD’s vengeance, for he remembers their sins in detail. Forgive your neighbour’s injustice; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven.”

The lessons of a “crime against humanity”

This time of year offers us an opportunity to reflect deeply on how we as a Christian community respond to evil in the world, how we forgive and how we show mercy. On the eleventh day of September 2001, the world stopped and terror and horror led us into the depths of the mysteries of evil, human suffering, and death on a great scale. Many asked where God was in the midst of such devastation and destruction on September 11. Yet with God’s grace we also experienced the height of human sacrifice and the ability of our brothers and sisters to manifest heroic love.

The terrorist attacks on Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania, and New York City were not just attacks on the United States of America. In the words of Saint John Paul II, “they were crimes against humanity.” The victims of these tragedies came from dozens of countries, and the economic and political repercussions have been global. While those responsible for the attacks may have been motivated by opposition to specific American policies, particularly in the Middle East, their underlying agenda appeared to be a deep antagonism toward Western culture and Western institutions. Any simplistic connection between Islam and terrorism must be rejected. 9/11 presents a challenge to the Church as well as our government to come to a deeper level of understanding and engagement with Islam.

The “enemy” in a war against terror is difficult to define, we have to be careful to avoid that everyone becomes a potential enemy. We have to avoid the war against terror becoming a war against the other. A society built on fear and mistrust of the other will never be a peaceful society. Only when legality, the rule of law, and peaceful coexistence are re-established will we taste victory.

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