In today’s Gospel Our Lord reinforces a theme we pray about in the Lord’s Prayer: that we ask for forgiveness, but should forgive in turn. When someone doesn’t value mercy they not only don’t welcome it into their hearts, but are also unlikely to show much of it to others.
The servant forgiven an enormous debt by his master in today’s Gospel didn’t appreciate it. By turning on his fellow servant, who owed him a miniscule amount in comparison, he showed that he had not really accepted the gift of his master’s mercy. When we have wronged someone we want to be forgiven, but we should show our gratitude by forgiving those who trespass against us.
Let’s thank Our Lord today for all the mercy he has shown us–past, present, and future–by being merciful and forgiving toward others.
Readings: Joshua 3:7–10a, 11, 13–17; Psalm 114:1–6; Matthew 18:21–19:1.