The Father's forgiveness will be withdrawn at the final judgment for those who have not forgiven

March 1, 2016

Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent

Saints of the Day:  Saint Albinus, Bishop (+550) , Saint David, Bishop (+561)

Reading 1

Daniel 3:25, 34-43

25Azariah stood up in the fire and prayed aloud: 34“For your name’s sake, O Lord, do not deliver us up forever, or make void your covenant. 35Do not take away your mercy from us, for the sake of Abraham, your beloved, Isaac your servant, and Israel your holy one, 36To whom you promised to multiply their offspring like the stars of heaven, or the sand on the shore of the sea.

37For we are reduced, O Lord, beyond any other nation, brought low everywhere in the world this day because of our sins. 38We have in our day no prince, prophet, or leader, no burnt offering, sacrifice, oblation, or incense, no place to offer first fruits, to find favor with you.

39But with contrite heart and humble spirit let us be received; 40As though it were burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, or thousands of fat lambs, So let our sacrifice be in your presence today as we follow you unreservedly; for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame.

41And now we follow you with our whole heart, we fear you and we pray to you.

42Do not let us be put to shame, but deal with us in your kindness and great mercy. 43Deliver us by your wonders, and bring glory to your name, O Lord.”

Responsorial Psalm

Psalms 25:4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9

R. (6 a) Remember your mercies, O Lord.

4Your ways, O LORD, make known to me; teach me your paths, 5aGuide me in your truth and teach me, 5bfor you are God my savior. 

R. Remember your mercies, O Lord.

6Remember that your compassion, O LORD, and your kindness are from of old.

7bIn your kindness remember me, 7cbecause of your goodness, O LORD.

R. Remember your mercies, O Lord.

8Good and upright is the LORD; thus He shows sinners the way. 9He guides the humble to justice, He teaches the humble His way.

R. Remember your mercies, O Lord.

Verse Before The Gospel Joel 2:12-13

Even now, says the LORD, return to Me with your whole heart; for I am gracious and merciful.

Gospel

Matthew 18:21-35

21Peter approached Jesus and asked Him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?”[1]

22Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.[2] 

23That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. 24When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount.[3]

25Since 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.

26At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’[4] 27Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan.

28When 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.’[5]

29Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ 30But he refused. Instead, he had him put in prison until he paid back the debt.

31Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. 32His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. 33Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?’

34Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt.[6] 35So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.”[7]

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Notes on Readings:

[1] Matthew 18:21-35 - The final section of the discourse deals with the forgiveness that the disciples are to give to their fellow disciples who sin against them. To the question of Peter how often forgiveness is to be granted (Matthew 18:21), Jesus answers that it is to be given without limit (Matthew 18:22) and illustrates this with the parable of the unmerciful servant (Matthew 18:23-24), warning that His heavenly Father will give those who do not forgive the same treatment as that given to the unmerciful servant (Matthew 18:35). Matthew 18:21-22 correspond to Luke 17:4; the parable and the final warning are peculiar to Matthew. That the Parable did not originally belong to this context is suggested by the fact that it really does not deal with repeated forgiveness, which is the point of Peter's question and Jesus' reply.

[2] Matthew 18:22 - Seventy-seven times: the Greek corresponds exactly to the LXX of Genesis 4:24. There is probably an allusion, by contrast, to the limitless vengeance of Lamech in the Genesis text. In any case, what is demanded of the disciples is limitless forgiveness.

[3] Matthew 18:24 - A huge amount: literally, "ten thousand talents." The talent was a unit of coinage of high but varying value depending on its metal (gold, silver, copper) and its place of origin. It is mentioned in the New Testament only here and in Matthew 25:14-30.

[4] Matthew 18:26 - Pay you back in full: an empty promise, given the size of the debt.

[5] Matthew 18:28 - A much smaller amount: literally, "a hundred denarii." A denarius was the normal daily wage of a laborer. The difference between the two debts is enormous and brings out the absurdity of the conduct of the Christian who has received the great forgiveness of God and yet refuses to forgive the relatively minor offenses done to him.

[6] Matthew 18:34 - Since the debt is so great as to be unpayable, the punishment will be endless.

[7] Matthew 18:35 The Father's forgiveness, already given, will be withdrawn at the final judgment for those who have not imitated his forgiveness by their own.