Daily Catholic Mass Readings for September 17, 2023
First Reading: Sirach 27.30 – 28.7
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Psalm 103
1Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name.2Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits-3who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,4who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,5who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.6The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.7He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel:8The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.9He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever;10he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.11For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;12as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.13As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;14for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.15As for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field;16the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.17But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children-18with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.19The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.20Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.21Praise the LORD, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will.22Praise the LORD, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the LORD, O my soul.
Second Reading: Romans 14.7-9
7For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone.8If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.9For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.
Gospel: Matthew 18.21-35
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 are invited to reflect on the transformative power of forgiveness and our relationship with God. The first reading from Sirach warns against the destructive nature of anger and vengeance, urging us to forgive others so that we may be forgiven. It reminds us that holding onto anger only leads to spiritual harm and that mercy is a gift from God. The second reading from Romans shifts our focus to living and dying for the Lord, emphasizing that our lives are not our own but belong to God, who through Christ’s resurrection, rules over all. This truth should shape how we live and interact with others.
The Gospel parable of the unforgiving servant drives home the necessity of forgiveness. The servant, forgiven a massive debt, refuses to extend the same mercy to another, leading to severe consequences. This parable is a stark reminder that forgiveness is not optional but essential. Just as we are forgiven by God, we must forgive others. The readings together highlight that our relationship with God is deeply intertwined with our relationships with others. Forgiveness is not just a feeling but a choice that reflects our commitment to living as children of God.
In our daily lives, let us examine our hearts and actions. Are we holding onto grudges or refusing to forgive? The readings encourage us to let go of anger and embrace mercy. Forgiveness liberates us from the chains of resentment and allows us to live in the freedom of God’s love. As we pray for forgiveness, let us also extend it to others, creating communities of compassion and reconciliation. May we remember that our heavenly Father’s forgiveness of us is tied to our forgiveness of others, and may we choose to forgive from the heart, just as He forgives us.