Daily Readings - Thu Aug 16 2018
Ezekiel
1The word of the LORD came to me:2"Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are a rebellious house.3As for you, son of man, prepare for yourself an exile's baggage, and go into exile by day in their sight. You shall go like an exile from your place to another place in their sight. Perhaps they will understand, though they are a rebellious house.4You shall bring out your baggage by day in their sight, as baggage for exile, and you shall go out yourself at evening in their sight, as those do who must go into exile.5In their sight dig through the wall, and bring your baggage out through it.6In their sight you shall lift the baggage upon your shoulder and carry it out at dusk. You shall cover your face that you may not see the land, for I have made you a sign for the house of Israel."7And I did as I was commanded. I brought out my baggage by day, as baggage for exile, and in the evening I dug through the wall with my own hands. I brought out my baggage at dusk, carrying it on my shoulder in their sight.8In the morning the word of the LORD came to me:9"Son of man, has not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said to you, 'What are you doing?'10Say to them, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: This oracle concerns the prince in Jerusalem and all the house of Israel who are in it.'11Say, 'I am a sign for you: as I have done, so shall it be done to them. They shall go into exile, into captivity.'12And the prince who is among them shall lift his baggage upon his shoulder at dusk, and shall go out. They shall dig through the wall to bring him out through it. He shall cover his face, that he may not see the land with his eyes.13And I will spread my net over him, and he shall be taken in my snare. And I will bring him to Babylon, the land of the Chaldeans, yet he shall not see it, and he shall die there.14And I will scatter toward every wind all who are around him, his helpers and all his troops, and I will unsheathe the sword after them.15And they shall know that I am the LORD, when I disperse them among the nations and scatter them among the countries.16But I will let a few of them escape from the sword, from famine and pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the nations where they go, and may know that I am the LORD."
Matthew
21Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?"22Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.23"Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.24When he began to settle, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.25And since he could not pay, his master ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.26So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.'27And out of pity for him, the master of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.28But when that same servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii, and seizing him, he began to choke him, saying, 'Pay what you owe.'29So his fellow servant fell down and pleaded with him, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you.'30He refused and went and put him in prison until he should pay the debt.31When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their master all that had taken place.32Then his master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.33And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?'34And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt.35So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."
1Now when Jesus had finished these sayings, he went away from Galilee and entered the region of Judea beyond the Jordan.
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful lessons about God’s mercy, human stubbornness, and the call to live as instruments of forgiveness and compassion. Ezekiel’s prophetic actions in the first reading are a stark reminder of God’s judgment on those who refuse to see and hear. By packing his bags and leaving in the dark, Ezekiel enacts the fate of Jerusalem’s leaders, who will be carried away in exile. The people of Israel, despite their physical sight and hearing, are spiritually blind and deaf to God’s warnings. Ezekiel’s actions are a call to repentance, urging the people to recognize their sins and turn back to the Lord.
In the Gospel, Jesus teaches Peter and the disciples about the boundless nature of forgiveness. When Peter asks how many times he should forgive a brother, Jesus responds with the shocking figure of seventy times seven, emphasizing that forgiveness is not limited by numbers but is an endless act of mercy. The parable of the unforgiving servant drives this point home. The servant who is forgiven a massive debt but refuses to forgive a smaller one is condemned for his hardness of heart. Jesus makes it clear that receiving God’s mercy requires us to extend that same mercy to others.
These readings challenge us to reflect on our own relationship with God’s mercy and how we treat others. Ezekiel’s prophecy reminds us that God’s patience is not endless and that we must respond to His call while there is still time. Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness calls us to let go of grudges and resentments, not because others deserve it, but because we ourselves have been forgiven so much. As we go about our daily lives, let us ask ourselves: Do we see and hear God’s presence in our lives? Are we living as instruments of His mercy and compassion? May we strive to be people of forgiveness and love, reflecting the boundless mercy of our heavenly Father.