September 13, 2026: 24th Sunday in Ordinary time
Ecclesiasticus 27:33 - 28:9; Romans 14: 7-9; Matthew 18: 21-35
This Sunday we have the most Christian of all lessons - a lesson on forgiveness. That is the key not only to a true Christian life but also to a truly happy life.
The crucial question of the lesson today is, Why should we forgive? Why should we forgive, if someone has done harm to us? Isn't it against justice? If the one who has offended continues to offend, do I remain on the ground, receiving everything lying down? Jesus seems to be answering these questions as he speaks those words to Peter - not just seven times, seventy times seven. Jesus teaches us to forgive not just our friends but our enemies, and to pray for them. Apart from that response and teaching of Jesus, we have three reasons underlined today in the readings... Let's dwell on those one by one.
We have to forgive because our past demands it from us. MEMORY teaches us that we have to forgive. Looking at what God has done for us, the experience of our own past, where we have been excused so much, pardoned so abundantly and loved beyond all our limitations, we have no excuse; we have to forgive. Look at that man who was pardoned such a large amount by the ruler - what should he have done? Forgive, isnt it? If only he thought a bit about what he had experienced from his ruler, he would not have been so mean. It is important for us to develop this memory, the Memory of the Mercy that we have been granted in abundance.
Memory keeps our humility alive... at times we prefer to forget he past, the path we have tread to reach where we have, imagining as if we the most perfect persons and most justifiable people on earth. This lack of humility makes us arrogant and self righteous and we are quick to judge others, not to understand them and be compassionate to them. Just imagine the teachers who forget their behaviour when they themselves were students, or the senior officials who forget what grievances they had to their superiors when they were subordinates...when they forget that they become equally pain inflictors as the others were. Paulo Freire in his Pedagogy of the Oppressed would reflect on how the oppressed become oppressors when an opportunity presents itself, if they were not conscientious of their experience. Viktor Frankl would speak of those in the Nazi concentration camp who were put supervisors form among their own people, who proved more cruel than the Nazi authorities. These are unfortunate forgetfulness that lead to total disaster of one's personality.
We have to forgive because our present requires it from us. We are Christians, or so we call ourselves! If we are Christians but we do not live what Christ taught and lived for, then our life has no MEANING at all. The very Meaning of the life that we are living right now, comes from the fact that we take our name from Christ himself. If so, we need to live faithful to that name.Whether we live or die, we are for Christ, we are with Christ and we belong to Christ. Only this gives meaning to our existence, or death, or sufferings or every bit of our daily experiences. Without forgiving can we call ourselves Christians?
Just give a thought to this strange fact: it is easy at times to forgive people who are our enemies, people whom we know are against us, people who are far away from us. But it becomes so difficult to forgive our own close friends, at times spouses, or parents or siblings... those who are all the time with us, persons who enjoy a great part of our confidence. We even have a theory coined for it and justify saying it is alright to forgive enemies, but not the traitors! But can we really justify this tendency to deny forgiveness? Look at the model presented to us by Jesus in his own life - he not only forgave the Jews and Romans who killed him or the soldiers who treated him with contempt, but also the closest of his collaborators who turned against him or abandoned him acting indifferent towards him. Jesus forgave Peter's denial and made him the shepherd of His flock. He forgave the rest of them who deserted him and assured them they were his beloved apostles despite their failures. He forgave Thomas' stubbornness and gave him the proofs that he demanded. Only Judas had made a hasty move to eliminate himself - that is a queer case of not accepting forgiveness, and we need to dwell on it at length, may be in some other occasion! But the lesson is very clear, isn't it: if I need to live a meaningful life, here and now, I better learn to forgive.
We have to forgive because our future depends on that, as a MATTER-OF-FACT. As the first reading says so simply and the parable that Jesus narrates in the gospel points out, if we need to be forgiven, if we have to be accepted as children of God; if we have to qualify as disciples of Christ, we should forgive and there is no option to it. It is a matter of fact, there is no two opinions about it. Jesus is crystal clear, the Word is insistent and the Spirit inspires us to forgive, because only through that we make ourselves worthy of the forgiveness of God.
Consider some well known images... of Nelson Mandela who remained in the prison for 27 years due to racism and when he stepped out he chose to forgive and work with the authorities towards abolition of apartheid... of Gladys Staines, the wife of the slain pastor Graham Staines who was killed with two of his sons and how the woman of God announced with firmness, I forgive those who killed my loved ones... of the family of Sr. Rani Maria who was stabbed to death and the assassin who is now a Christian because he was forgiven and accepted as one among them by the family... of Pope Saint John Paul II who forgave the one who attempted to assassinate him - Mehmet Ali Agca and how the latter came back after 31 years to Rome, to St. Peter's, to John Paul the II's tomb to pay his homage. He called the late pontiff, his 'Spiritual brother', and uttered the words, "a thousand thanks, Saint!" and "Long Live Jesus Christ"!
Look at all these images... what do they communicate... a lesson on forgiveness! Forgiveness gives peace of mind calming our memories, serenity at heart a true meaning to our lives, and becomes a matter of fact that we are Christia-ians! This is what the Lord wants to leave us today, as a lesson for our lives. And this lesson has to be lived on a daily basis, beginning right from where we are - our families, our parish communities, our religious communities, with the spouse, parents, children, siblings, neighbours...and every one we can think of or come in touch with every day!
Let us take this lesson on Forgiveness, that the Word gives us today, to our heart and consider seriously practicing this teaching. If not, we would remain far from what we claim to be - that is, Christians!
