Daily Readings - Tue Mar 09 2021
Matthew
21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"22Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.23"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.24As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him.25Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.26"The servant fell on his knees before him. 'Be patient with me,' he begged, 'and I will pay back everything.'27The servant's master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.28"But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. 'Pay back what you owe me!' he demanded.29"His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.'30"But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.31When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.32"Then the master called the servant in. 'You wicked servant,' he said, 'I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to.33Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?'34In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.35"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart."
Sermon
In today’s readings, we encounter powerful lessons about mercy, forgiveness, and the relationship between God’s grace and our response to it. The first reading from Daniel presents Azariah, one of the three young men thrown into the fiery furnace for refusing to worship Nebuchadnezzar’s statue. Despite their perilous situation, Azariah prays with humility and trust, acknowledging the sins of his people and imploring God’s mercy. He recognizes that the Israelites are without a temple, a prophet, or a leader, but he still turns to God with a contrite heart, trusting in His covenant and the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. Azariah’s prayer is not one of entitlement but of surrender, asking for mercy not because of their worthiness but because of God’s faithfulness.
The Gospel reading from Matthew continues this theme of mercy and forgiveness. Peter asks Jesus how many times he should forgive a brother who sins against him, suggesting seven times as a generous limit. Jesus responds by expanding Peter’s understanding, telling him to forgive not seven times but seventy times seven. To illustrate this, Jesus shares the parable of the servant who is forgiven a massive debt by his king but then refuses to forgive a smaller debt owed to him by a fellow servant. The king, seeing the servant’s hardness of heart, condemns him for not showing the same mercy he had received. Jesus makes it clear that forgiveness is not optional; it is a fundamental requirement of life in the kingdom of God.
These readings remind us that God’s mercy is boundless, but it is not without expectation. We are called to receive God’s forgiveness with gratitude and humility, and in turn, to extend that same forgiveness to others. Forgiveness is not always easy, especially when we feel wronged or hurt, but it is essential for building healthy relationships and living as children of God. As we reflect on these readings, let us ask ourselves: Do we truly trust in God’s mercy, and are we willing to share that mercy with others? May we, like Azariah, approach God with contrite hearts, and may we, like the servant in the parable, learn to forgive as we have been forgiven.