Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent

(Daniel 3:25.34-43; Matthew 18:21-35)

It is not hard to forgive a person who keeps you waiting five minutes. “I’ve done the same thing,” the offended party will tell her/himself.  But if the offense is truly immense, forgiveness is much harder to grant.  In the movie “Dead Man Walking” a man cannot, at first, forgive his son’s murderer.  He says that he wants “strict justice (i.e., an eye for an eye…”).  As he is about to be executed, the killer asks the man’s forgiveness. It is tacitly given as the father attends the murderer’s funeral.

As difficult as it is to forgive in some cases, it is also hard for many people to ask forgiveness.  They might consider themselves better than those they offended.  Or perhaps they are worried that admission of guilt will cause loss of prestige or property.  Or they may not see their action toward the other as unjust.  People accused of crime should humbly consider their actions with the help of a wise counsellor.  Then, if they see themselves as guilty, they should straightforwardly seek forgiveness.

Acknowledging offenses and asking forgiveness is a universal challenge.  We all sin.  Doing so, we offend God, of course, but also harm others and ourselves.  We have the Sacrament of Reconciliation to make amends with the Lord.  Justice compels us to seek reconciliation with offended parties as well.

Tuesday, March 22, 2022

 

Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent

(Daniel 3:25.34-43; Matthew 18:21-35)

Sins are forgiven in the Sacrament of Penance if there is a “firm purpose of amendment.”  This means that the penitent must be determined not to commit the sin again.  She may fail and come to Confession the following day.  But she must want not to fail by taking measures to avoid the sin.  As important as a firm purpose of amendment is, it is not the criterion that Jesus lays out for forgiveness.

Jesus insists that any mercy shown by God will be revoked if the sinner is not willing to forgive in turn.  His parable is quite illustrious.  In today’s terms it would say a man is forgiven the debt of a billion dollars.  Then he refuses to forgive his debtor who under the same conditions could not pay back one hundred.  Of course, such asymmetry is inexcusable.  God may be incomprehensibly merciful, but He is no fool.  He will not overlook the unwillingness to forgive after one has been greatly forgiven.

We show mercy when we do not try to get even with others for their offenses.  We may try to understand why the offenders acted in the way they did.  Perhaps we remember not acting well under similar circumstances.  Our aim is not to make excuses for th person but to recognize in ourselves in others.  In this way we are more likely to care for them as brothers and sisters.

Tuesday, March 17, 2020

Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent

(Daniel 3:25.34-43; Matthew 18:21-35)

Biographers of St. Patrick are not sure about the events of his life.  They say that accounts are so embedded in myth that it is difficult to speak with certainty about them.  However, there seems to be some consensus that he was kidnapped and sold as a slave in Ireland.  When he escaped, he evidently did not harbor resentment against his land of captivity.  Rather he returned there as a missionary bishop to convert its people to Christ.   To the extent that this is true, it illustrates today’s gospel.

Jesus emphasizes forgiveness, especially in this gospel according to Matthew.  He mentions it in the prayer he taught his disciples in the Sermon on the Mount.  Then he reiterates the point to make sure the imperative of forgiveness is understood.  In today’s passage, toward the end of the gospel, Jesus again hones in on forgiveness.  His followers must be ready to forgive multiple times.  If they do not, they will not receive the forgiveness they require from the Father.

Forgiveness is especially difficult when we have been offended deeply.  We do not want to let the offence go without due recompense beyond an apology.  In cases of loss of life or limb, that is simply not possible.  By forgiving in this situation, we show our trust that God will turn the injustice into our glory.

Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent

(Daniel 3:25.34-43; Matthew 18:21-35)

Last week the governor of Texas commuted the sentence of a man who killed his mother and brother.  The man was supposed to be executed, but with a recommendation of the Board of Pardons and Parole and also the petition of the killer’s father, the sentence was changed to life in prison.  Anti-death penalty supporters considered the change of sentence as a victory for their movement.  Perhaps death penalty proponents saw it as a step backward.  It would be better to review the decision through the lens of today’s gospel than as an ideological war.

Jesus is urging his followers to forgive those who repent of their crimes not superficially but “from the heart.”  He wants them to rejoice in the conversion of a sin as well as to love their enemies.  However, he does not show tolerance for the person who receives forgiveness but does not show it to others.  Such people, he might say, have to learn the hard way if they are to learn at all.

We have to take our lives seriously.  They are not games which we play over and over winning sometimes and losing other times until we die.  Rather our lives are more like a long educational process in which we will hopefully become loving people like our teacher and Lord Jesus. If the man whose sentence was commuted has not learned to forgive offenses against him, a long life in which he dies in bed will be no better than a short life in which he dies at the hand of an executioner.  He will never reach the goal in life which is, again, to love like Jesus.

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Tuesday of the Third Week in Lent

(Daniel 3:25.34-43; Matthew 18:21-35)

There is a problem in Jesus’ parable.  If one is to forgive continually, then what should the master do when the wicked servant asks forgiveness a second time?  Should he not pardon him?

We can bet that Jesus would say “no” to the proposition.  Forgiveness turns on the genuineness of the guilty party’s contrition.  The servant shows that his sorrow is a sham since he refuses to show mercy. In traditional terms, he lacks a purpose of amendment. 

We sometimes worry about the sincerity of our own intentions when we find ourselves always confessing the same sins.  Does God forgive us?  We must never underestimate God’s mercy.  It is deeper than the ocean.  But God is also that discerning as well.  He knows when we intend to change our ways.  But He also knows that bad habits are difficult to break and affords us many opportunities to make amendment.

Tuesday, March 10, 2015

Tuesday of the Third Week in Lent

(Daniel 3:25.34-43; Matthew 18:21-35)

There is a problem implied in Jesus’ parable.  If the servant whose debt is forgiven mistreats a fellow servant, can he expect forgiveness upon request for his second offense?  If yes, then where is justice?  If no, then why does Jesus insist that one must forgive seventy-seven times?

Obviously, Jesus does not imply this dilemma in his “seventy-seven times” rule.  He sees forgiveness as turning on the genuineness of the guilty party’s contrition.  In the parable the servant shows that his original petition of forgiveness is insincere by refusing to show mercy when the tables are turned.  The commandment to forgive “seventy-seven times” applies only when the offender intends to change her ways.  If a request for forgiveness merely simulates contrition, one would be foolish to honor it.

We may worry about the sincerity of our own contrition when we find ourselves confessing the same sins over and over again.  Let us never underestimate God’s mercy.  It is more abundant that the water of the oceans.  But God is also discerning.  He reads human hearts to know whether we really intend to change our ways.  To be sure, God understands that bad habits are hard to break and will allow us plenty of opportunities to mend our ways.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent

(Daniel 3:25.34-43; Matthew 18:21-35)

A little girl comes home crying.  She says that she fell down and ruined her dress.  The mother takes her into her arms to console her.  She says, “I don’t care if you ruined a hundred dresses, just as long as you aren’t hurt.”  Such graciousness is what Jesus demands of his disciples in today’s gospel reading.

Peter comes to Jesus asking for a rule of thumb to determine how much patience is required with an offensive church member, a “brother.”  A situation can be readily imagined. A member of the community consistently comes late for services.  She says that she is sorry and promises to try harder to be on time.  But her tardiness is disruptive and the pastor wants to draw a line that might help her to fulfill her promise.  What would Jesus say?

Jesus tells us to forgive the truly repentant, no matter the number of times.  He exhorts long-suffering as a way of expressing love.  But he would also advise discerning the sincerity of the offender.  If she treats others with a similar magnanimity, pardon can be joyfully extended.  If she harshly judges the motives of others, the earnestness of her intention to reform is dubious. 

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Tuesday of the Third Week in Lent

(Daniel 3:25.34-43; Matthew 18:21-35)

There is a problem implied in Jesus’ parable. If one is to forgive continually, then what should be done if the servant who, after being forgiven his debt, then demanding immediate repayment of his fellow servant, and finally being reprimanded by his master for insincerity, were to ask for forgiveness again? Should he not be pardoned?

Obviously, Jesus would not agree. Forgiveness turns on the genuineness of the guilty party’s contrition. The servant shows that his original petition is insincere since in a similar case with roles reversed, he refuses to show mercy. The commandment to forgive “seventy-seven times” applies when the offender really intends to change his or her ways. If the request for forgiveness merely simulates contrition, one would be foolish to honor it.

We sometimes worry about the sincerity of our own intentions when we find ourselves confessing the same sins every time we go to Confession. Does God forgive us? We must never underestimate God’s mercy. It is more abundant that the grains of sand on a seashore. But God is also implicitly discerning. He reads human hearts with infinitely greater perspicacity than a copy editor reads text. He knows when we really intend to change our ways. But He also knows that bad habits are difficult to break and allows us plenty of opportunities to mend our ways.

Homilette for Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Tuesday of the Third Lent in Lent

(Daniel 3:25.34-43; Matthew 18:21-35)

When former president Gerald Ford died in 2007, commentators remembered him with surprising admiration. They recognized his pardoning his predecessor Richard Nixon for criminal activity in the Watergate affair as his greatest achievement. Even Ted Kennedy admitted that although he had disagreed with the decision at first, the pardon did a distinctive service to the country. It helped heal a nation badly divided over ideology and shocked over wrongdoing at the highest levels.

Would that public figures be more willing to practice today what they admire in past heroes! Instead we usually hear them demand resignation, impeachment, or apology from those who violate their principles. In the gospel Jesus tells his disciples that it should not be that way with us. We must be ready to forgive when people repent of their misdeeds. Rather than clamor for retribution, we should pray that our offenders take note of their wrongdoing, ask forgiveness, and make proper amends.

Mercy becomes us. Shakespeare writes that an “earthly power doth then show likest God's,
when mercy seasons justice.” It even makes us better appreciated in our society as in the case of President Ford. In forgiving, of course, we must not abandon the norms of justice. Compensation to the wronged is usually due, and the offender should be resolved not to offend again. But practiced rightly, mercy like “the gentle rain from heaven” – as Shakespeare put it -- benefits everyone.

A HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY TO ALL!