24th Sunday after Pentecost 17 September 2023 Forgiving others
The first debtor should have been grateful but apparently was not (Mt 18,28).
So he lost the lot. And the lesson is there so we do not do the same, as we might do if we do not take heed.
Unless you forgive your brother from your heart, then we suffer the same fate (Mt18,35).
When we hear that parable it seems obvious where the first servant went wrong. But as obvious as it is we find ourselves capable of the same error.
We do the same thing when we begrudge mercy to others, the same mercy that we seek for ourselves.
If I get what I need why should I begrudge others getting what they need? There is no answer to that, rationally. It is just the emotions getting involved where they should stay out.
It is one of the side-effects of sin that it will give us a mean streak, whereby we resent the good fortune of others, especially if we think it is more good fortune than we have.
As children we resent if another child has more: I have one chocolate, you have two, that is an inflammatory situation!
As adults we grow out of that? No, it becomes about salary, cars, clothes. The same problem.
In fact we should rejoice in the good fortune of others. Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep. (Rm 12,15)
We should want others to receive everything that God wants them to have – especially the spiritual things like mercy, grace, spiritual gifts, and finally eternal life.
God wants each person to come to a certain potential. If He wants it, then we want it too. There is no time for resentment.
Of course, we do not miss out. Heaven is big enough for all who want it. And a repentant sinner is a person we can like, once they have repented.
As to forgiveness, God rejoices in granting mercy to repentant sinners. Cf the father of the Prodigal Son. He ran to meet him and lavished attention on him (Lk 15,20) So there is more joy in heaven over each sinner who repents (Lk 15,7).
In murder trials someone will call out to the accused: I hope you rot in hell. It is the wrong thing to say; we wish no one in hell. If we did wish that then we are back to the problem of the first debtor, unable to extend mercy to his fellow servant.
We can be angry with people we perceive to be in the wrong.
But we do not wish them to stay in the wrong, especially not for eternity.
God seeks to save. He never deviates from this objective.
We must remove the plank from our own eyes first (Lk 6,41-46).
The only way we could ever legitimately wish others to suffer would be that they suffer in the full realization of what they have done, and then repent.
They are not ‘getting off lightly’, as they will suffer real pain, eventually giving way to joy at being forgiven.
We may doubt that the sinner will repent. Whether they do repent or not, our attitude must be the same – that we want them to receive God's mercy.
The Church meanwhile proclaims both mercy and the quest for holiness. We always need mercy; at the same time we can always do good and do better in our grateful desire to please God.
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