Tuesday – Third Week of Lent
Gospel – Matthew 18:21-35
Forgive Me!

Wailing Wall, Jerusalem


There’s a point in the first episode of Season 3 of The Chosen, after the Sermon on the Mount, where many of the disciples seek out someone they have personally injured.  Andrew goes to visit Mary Magdalene and Matthew returns home to his father.  In both cases, they go to ask forgiveness – for words and for actions that hurt someone and caused a rift (or a real break) in their relationship. 

We all have moments like that in our own lives, moments of incredible pain and distress as we try to mend a friendship and rebuild what has been broken.  We are all human; we all make mistakes. How many times do we want to be forgiven? Only once?  If we hope for forgiveness for all our failings, then God calls us to offer forgiveness to others for their failings as well.

What better example of forgiveness is that final scene when Matthew knocks on the door and his father answers with one single word – SON!

And that is what today’s Gospel addresses– repentance and forgiveness!  Peter is looking for a way to limit the number of times he has to forgive/seek forgiveness from someone and Jesus is not giving in.  Earlier in the Gospel, Jesus had told Peter that even if someone comes to you 7 times in one day asking for forgiveness – you give it!  So Peter figures – seven times is enough!  Not quite!  Peter is looking for a loophole, a limit!  And Jesus answers him – not just once, not just 7 times, but 70 times 7, essentially infinity – Jesus’ message is clear - there is no limit to forgiveness.  Just as there is no limit to love!

 

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