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Theo Tigno
8/15/2007 11:15 pm

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Thursday, August 16th 2007
Matthew 18:21–19:1

Peter approached Jesus and asked him, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? 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 his brother from his heart."

When Jesus finished these words, he left Galilee and went to the district of Judea across the Jordan.

Dawg's thought:

Today's prayer intention is for those who you have a hard time forgiving.

Recently, I was in a situation where I couldn't let go of something. It wasn't necessarily that I had any feelings of hatred toward the person.

As I started to write today's reflection, I was meditating on how the master tried to model forgiveness to the servant. As I contemplated that, I thought about how Christ modeled forgiveness for us as He gave His life.

"Who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.
Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death,
even death on a cross."

Jesus took human form. His had to abandon Himself in order to forgive us. In order so that we may be set free, He had to let go of being separated from us and He took on human form.

It took Jesus letting go in order that we may be forgiven.

Back to my story: I realized something about why I couldn't let go of this "thing" - I couldn't forgive myself. I had a hard time letting go because the unforgiveness was directed toward me.

Today, what is it that you're having a hard time letting go of? Is there something that you're holding onto? The servant in today's reading couldn't let go of the debt of his servant. He couldn't be merciful to him even though the master modeled mercy to him.

Today, ask for The Holy Spirit to guide you in letting go of those things that hold you back from the freedom of loving and serving Our Lord. Take care and God Bless.
 

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