If we have faith in God’s love and mercy despite our unworthiness, it will lead us to treat others justly with a conviction of their being created in God’s loving image. 

Tuesday of the Third Week in Lent

Daniel 3:25, 34-43

Psalm: 4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9

M atthew 18:21-35 Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" (22) Jesus 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. (24) When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; (25) and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. (26) So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, `Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' (27) And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. (28) But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, `Pay what you owe.' (29) So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, `Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' (30) He refused and went and put him in prison till he could pay the debt. (31) When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken  place. (32) Then his lord summoned him and said to him, `You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; (33) and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' (34) And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he could pay all his debt. (35) So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."

Meditation by Susan Tinley

T oday’s gospel brings to mind the Jesuit value of a faith that does justice. This value refers to a justice that is borne out of one’s faith in God. It is usually thought of in terms of social justice, but it seems applicable in the justice of forgiveness. It is a conviction about God’s love and mercy for us that compels us to love and forgive others.

In His parable of today’s gospel, Jesus tells the story of a man who does not share this value.  The servant owes his master a debt that he cannot repay, similar to the debt that we cannot repay for Jesus’ redemption of us through his suffering and death. When, this servant asks his master to forgive him his debt, he does not approach his master with humility and an awareness of his responsibility for the circumstances that led to this huge debt.  Instead he is motivated by self-centered expediency.  How often do we seek God’s forgiveness with a similar motivation and without truly acknowledging and appreciating His redemptive love?

In the gospel story the first servant is granted his request for forgiveness of his debt. However,without a humble appreciation of the very generous gift that has been given to him by his master, he in turn does not grant another servant forgiveness of a much smaller debt.  He lacks the faith and love that would lead him to treating his fellow servant in a manner similar to his master’s forgiveness of him.

Certainly we all can think of times when we had a hard time asking for someone’s forgiveness as well as times when forgiveness has been difficult for us to grant. If we have faith in God’s love and mercy despite our unworthiness, it will lead us to treat others justly with a conviction of their being created in God’s loving image. 

Supplementary Reading

Worthless Idols

Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. ~ Jonah 2:8

H ave you ever exercised your will over the will of God? Have you ever been so willful that you were going to go your own way no matter what God said? If so, you have been at the same place as the prophet Jonah. God called Jonah to deliver a message to God's people as a warning. Jonah flatly refused. It was Jonah's will over God's. Guess who won?  

Talk about willpower; Jonah had it! In fact, he was so rebellious toward God's will that he got on a ship to go the opposite direction. But he couldn't go far enough. The omnipotence of God caught up with Jonah, and he was hurled overboard when the seas became rough and the ship's crew figured Jonah was the source of their problems. Overboard he went and into the belly of that big fish.  

God has a way of getting us to rethink our decisions, to reconsider our position. In fact, we see the extent of Jonah's willfulness by the amount of time he was willing to hang out in the belly of that fish - three full days. Then, Jonah decides enough is enough! Obedience is better than this fish belly and seaweed.  

From inside the fish, Jonah prayed to the Lord his God.  

He said: "In my distress I called to the Lord, and He answered me. From the depths of the grave I called for help, and You listened to my cry. You hurled me into the deep, into the very heart of the seas, and the currents swirled about me; all Your waves and breakers swept over me. I said, 'I have been banished from Your sight; yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.' The engulfing waters threatened me, the deep surrounded me; seaweed was wrapped around my head. To the roots of the mountains I sank down; the earth beneath barred me in forever. But You brought my life up from the pit, O Lord my God. When my life was ebbing away, I remembered You, Lord, and my prayer rose to You, to Your holy temple. Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to You. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the Lord." And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. Then the word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time: "Go to the great city of Nineveh and proclaim to it the message I give you." Jonah obeyed the word of the Lord and went to Nineveh (Jonah 2:2-3:3a).  

In the midst of realizing his own calamity, Jonah made a seemingly out-of-context statement: "Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs." Jonah was thinking of the sailors who threw him overboard and how they prayed to worthless idols. In the business world, we rub shoulders with those who cling to worthless idols every day. How tragic.  

But this story's primary message is for every believer. And I can identify with Jonah. There's been many a man placed in the "belly of the fish" to encourage him to fulfill the purposes of God for which He called him. Jonah's situation changed immediat ely upon his obedience. Obedience is a mysterious thing. Jesus had to learn it through the things He suffered (see Heb. 5:8). If Jesus had to learn obedience through suffering, what does that mean for you and me? Sometimes willing obedience requires encouragement. -- OS Hillman

• 03/11/2010 02:57 - Mar 14, 2010 - Sunday Meditation (Being True to Ourselves)
• 03/11/2010 02:55 - Mar 13, 2010 - Saturday Meditation (Pride and Self-Deception)
• 03/11/2010 02:51 - Mar 12, 2010 - Friday Meditation (Faith - Hope : Strengthens Our Love of GOD!)
• 03/06/2010 22:12 - Mar 11, 2010 - Thursday Meditation (Listen and Take Action!)
• 03/06/2010 22:10 - Mar 10, 2010 - Wednesday Meditation (Trained to Listen!)

• 03/06/2010 22:05 - Mar 8, 2010 - Monday Meditation (Discipline Leads to Holiness!)
• 03/06/2010 06:36 - Mar 7, 2010 - Sunday Meditation (If Today You Hear His Voice, Harden not your heart)
• 03/04/2010 04:09 - Mar 6, 2010 - Saturday Meditation (Waiting for You to Come Home)
• 03/04/2010 04:06 - Mar 5, 2010 - Friday Meditation (Sow in the Midst Painful Circumstances!)
• 03/02/2010 13:14 - Mar 4, 2010 - Thursday Meditation (Blessed? Cursed? Your Choice!)