WEBVTT 00:00:00.490 --> 00:00:10.669 Glory be to Jesus Christ. Glory forever. Recently, 00:00:11.009 --> 00:00:20.170 I read an article about a young man who works 00:00:20.170 --> 00:00:34.070 at the Department of Transportation. strengthening 00:00:34.070 --> 00:00:46.549 the white lines that fade in a rural area. Normally 00:00:46.549 --> 00:00:53.329 this would be done by a machine, but since the 00:00:53.329 --> 00:00:57.009 machine was broken, he was given the task of 00:00:57.009 --> 00:01:05.180 painting these lines. On the first day, he managed 00:01:05.180 --> 00:01:14.739 to do two miles. The second day, one mile. And 00:01:14.739 --> 00:01:21.739 the third day, barely a half mile. His supervisor 00:01:21.739 --> 00:01:27.060 wanted to know what the problem seems to be since 00:01:27.060 --> 00:01:32.090 he wasn't doing the work that was scheduled to 00:01:32.090 --> 00:01:40.230 be done. He said, sir, the reason I'm getting 00:01:40.230 --> 00:01:45.989 slower and slower is because the pain can that 00:01:45.989 --> 00:01:48.909 I'm using is getting further and further away. 00:01:52.150 --> 00:02:00.780 This illustrates, my dear people, how one can 00:02:00.780 --> 00:02:10.960 unthinkingly leave behind the core of the Christian 00:02:10.960 --> 00:02:17.900 message that Jesus enunciated so clearly. I am 00:02:17.900 --> 00:02:24.500 the way, the truth, and the life. Like a number 00:02:24.500 --> 00:02:31.340 of parables found in the Gospels reading, Today's 00:02:31.340 --> 00:02:36.500 reading is taken from the 18th chapter of Matthew. 00:02:37.319 --> 00:02:46.400 And Jesus told this parable in response to a 00:02:46.400 --> 00:02:52.580 question that Peter raised. Peter said, Lord, 00:02:52.680 --> 00:02:57.659 how many times should a person be expected to 00:02:57.659 --> 00:03:08.479 forgive? Is seven times seven sufficient? Because 00:03:08.479 --> 00:03:13.199 in the old rabbinic school, it was only required 00:03:13.199 --> 00:03:15.500 to do it three times. So Peter thought he was 00:03:15.500 --> 00:03:20.599 doing a great deal. Seven times. No, Jesus said, 00:03:20.780 --> 00:03:30.780 not seven times, but 70 times seven. In order 00:03:30.780 --> 00:03:36.699 to give us a better understanding of what the 00:03:36.699 --> 00:03:44.840 real true implications are of this parable, Jesus 00:03:44.840 --> 00:03:49.340 said the following. And it's called the parable 00:03:49.340 --> 00:03:56.259 of the unforgiving servant. Jesus said a certain 00:03:56.259 --> 00:04:02.080 king. discovered that one of his close financial 00:04:02.080 --> 00:04:10.840 counselors had accumulated an incredible amount 00:04:10.840 --> 00:04:15.780 of debt against the treasury. A debt that he 00:04:15.780 --> 00:04:21.939 couldn't repay even in a hundred years. The king, 00:04:22.040 --> 00:04:25.139 however, insisted that the payment must be done 00:04:25.139 --> 00:04:33.899 immediately. But the counselor said, sir, I'm 00:04:33.899 --> 00:04:39.560 unable to do that. Have mercy on me. Pity me. 00:04:40.519 --> 00:04:52.740 Forgive me the debt. And the king forgave him 00:04:52.740 --> 00:04:58.079 the debt. And as he walked away in delirious 00:04:58.079 --> 00:05:04.180 joy, for he was forgiven such a huge debt. He 00:05:04.180 --> 00:05:10.879 encountered one of his co -workers who owed him 00:05:10.879 --> 00:05:15.240 really an insignificant amount, an amount that 00:05:15.240 --> 00:05:21.540 should have been overlooked long time ago. Because 00:05:21.540 --> 00:05:27.819 his co -worker was unable to give him that money 00:05:27.819 --> 00:05:38.319 at the time, he had him thrown into prison. When 00:05:38.319 --> 00:05:44.300 the king heard of what he had done and how ungrateful 00:05:44.300 --> 00:05:50.240 the counselor was, the king reminded him how 00:05:50.240 --> 00:05:58.300 much he was forgiven. And Jesus said this, very 00:05:58.300 --> 00:06:04.139 sobering words. Because you could not find in 00:06:04.139 --> 00:06:14.339 your heart to offer forgiveness to him, you who 00:06:14.339 --> 00:06:20.079 was forgiven so much, you must suffer the consequences. 00:06:22.990 --> 00:06:25.970 And then our Lord ended the parable with these 00:06:25.970 --> 00:06:36.189 very uncomfortable words. This is how our Heavenly 00:06:36.189 --> 00:06:45.029 Father will deal with you unless you forgive 00:06:45.029 --> 00:06:55.060 one another. This particular topic on forgiveness 00:06:55.060 --> 00:07:03.540 is found throughout the New Testament. And like 00:07:03.540 --> 00:07:10.899 the teachings on love, it has meaning, importance, 00:07:11.040 --> 00:07:17.019 and relevance for all times and for all people. 00:07:17.660 --> 00:07:23.449 For all people. I want to say to you in a loving 00:07:23.449 --> 00:07:32.689 and direct way why we should forgive those who 00:07:32.689 --> 00:07:37.990 have wronged us or who have taken advantage of 00:07:37.990 --> 00:07:45.069 us. Why? Because the Word of God commands us 00:07:45.069 --> 00:07:52.069 to do precisely that. Jesus said, we not only 00:07:52.069 --> 00:07:57.509 should forgive, but we should pray for one another. 00:07:59.529 --> 00:08:08.050 Even for our enemies. This is not a matter about 00:08:08.050 --> 00:08:13.649 morality. It is the very essence of the Christian 00:08:13.649 --> 00:08:19.189 gospel. Because God is love. He created us in 00:08:19.189 --> 00:08:24.360 love. He died for us because of his love for 00:08:24.360 --> 00:08:39.860 us. Why we should forgive? Because our Lord himself 00:08:39.860 --> 00:08:50.110 gave us an unforgettable image, an example. Of 00:08:50.110 --> 00:08:54.990 forgiveness. When he cried out from the cross. 00:08:56.889 --> 00:09:03.230 The words that still. Resonate. Throughout the 00:09:03.230 --> 00:09:12.029 quarters of time. Father. Forgive them. Forgive 00:09:12.029 --> 00:09:21.230 them. Why should we forgive. Because forgiveness 00:09:21.230 --> 00:09:30.269 is not an option. Love and forgiveness are supreme 00:09:30.269 --> 00:09:36.629 and surpass all Christian duties. Our relationship 00:09:36.629 --> 00:09:42.950 to God is directly related to our relationship 00:09:42.950 --> 00:09:51.320 to one another. They can't be separated. And 00:09:51.320 --> 00:10:03.200 in that first epistle of John, the evangelist 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:11.200 of love tells us, if you can't forgive your brother 00:10:11.200 --> 00:10:15.200 whom you see, how can you love God whom you cannot 00:10:15.200 --> 00:10:26.090 see? To hold a grudge, my dear people, takes 00:10:26.090 --> 00:10:32.090 a deep and dreadful psychological and spiritual 00:10:32.090 --> 00:10:39.970 toll. Grudge holders, listen carefully, grudge 00:10:39.970 --> 00:10:44.889 holders are grave diggers, and the only grave 00:10:44.889 --> 00:10:58.509 they dig is their own. my pastoral life, I think 00:10:58.509 --> 00:11:04.909 the most unhappy and frustrated individuals are 00:11:04.909 --> 00:11:15.429 the persons who can't forgive. You heard in the 00:11:15.429 --> 00:11:19.370 gospel, in the epistle today, we Christians must 00:11:19.370 --> 00:11:25.409 be models and images of forgiveness. We forgive 00:11:25.409 --> 00:11:31.009 because it is necessary for our own spiritual 00:11:31.009 --> 00:11:38.490 health and growth. We forgive because our Lord 00:11:38.490 --> 00:11:43.929 commands us to do so. He said, a new commandment 00:11:43.929 --> 00:11:51.889 I give unto you. That you love one another. But 00:11:51.889 --> 00:11:54.899 he didn't stop there. That you love one another 00:11:54.899 --> 00:12:17.200 as I love you. We forgive. Because we are daily 00:12:17.200 --> 00:12:27.600 forgiven. Daily. Our name. God's mercy. Is upon 00:12:27.600 --> 00:12:36.460 us. And if you remember. What Father Lawrence 00:12:36.460 --> 00:12:42.639 said. Some time ago. He said from this pulpit. 00:12:46.100 --> 00:12:50.580 If you can't forgive. You can't say the Lord's 00:12:50.580 --> 00:12:58.879 prayer. Forgive us our debts or trespasses or 00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:08.460 whatever as we forgive others. I know throughout 00:13:08.460 --> 00:13:15.039 my pastoral life this has been a theme which 00:13:15.039 --> 00:13:23.480 bears heavily on my soul. Because I know people 00:13:26.440 --> 00:13:40.419 He said this to me in confession. I forgive what 00:13:40.419 --> 00:13:52.120 I will forget. If you forget love, if you forget 00:13:52.120 --> 00:14:00.649 how to forgive, Then your spiritual life will 00:14:00.649 --> 00:14:05.470 have serious consequences. You know, in that 00:14:05.470 --> 00:14:08.149 13th chapter of Corinthians that was read in 00:14:08.149 --> 00:14:13.750 the epistle, St. Paul said, it doesn't matter 00:14:13.750 --> 00:14:18.210 if you have a dozen degrees or post -doctoral 00:14:18.210 --> 00:14:24.289 degrees. If you can't love and forgive, then 00:14:24.289 --> 00:14:30.279 you're nothing but a trying symbol. And he says, 00:14:30.379 --> 00:14:36.679 even if you give whatever amount you give, but 00:14:36.679 --> 00:14:42.480 if you can't love your brother, then that's not 00:14:42.480 --> 00:15:01.740 love. If you forgive, but let the handle Of anguish. 00:15:01.879 --> 00:15:08.600 And anger. And disappointment. Stand. In your 00:15:08.600 --> 00:15:15.000 way. Then your Christian faith. Is in question 00:15:15.000 --> 00:15:22.919 my dear people. Love one another. Forgive one 00:15:22.919 --> 00:15:27.899 another. Because we are all wrong. We all make 00:15:27.899 --> 00:15:36.320 mistakes. And sometimes, unthinkingly, like the 00:15:36.320 --> 00:15:42.240 painter, we leave behind the core of the Christian 00:15:42.240 --> 00:15:48.200 faith. And thus, we suffer the consequences. 00:15:49.179 --> 00:15:54.659 And that's what Jesus said in a very sobering 00:15:54.659 --> 00:15:59.120 way. This will happen to everyone who cannot 00:15:59.120 --> 00:16:02.549 forgive. In the name of the Father, the Son, 00:16:02.789 --> 00:16:04.590 and the Holy Spirit. Amen.