Matthew 18: 21-19:1
The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
21 Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
23 “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. 24 As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold was brought to him. 25 Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
26 “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ 27 The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
28 “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
29 “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’
30 “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. 31 When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.
32 “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
19 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan.
It's appalling to read how the servant whose huge debt was forgiven treated a fellow servant who owed him money. Evidently the lesson of mercy which benefited him did not resonate enough with him to treat others as he had been treated. Yet, such is human nature. which centers on the principle of "me first." We all act this way. The answer lies in the simple question: "Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?" May our re-reading of this parable and our prayerful reflection on it, help us to learn how and how often to forgive. May God grant us the grace and will to begin this kind of forgiveness TODAY!
Bro. Rene
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