Thursday,
August 16, 2018
19th Week in Ordinary Time
1st Reading: Ezk 12: 1-12
Gospel: Matthew 18:21—19:1
Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, how many times must I forgive the offenses of my brother or sister? Seven times?” Jesus answered, “No, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
“This story throws light on the kingdom of heaven. A king decided to settle the accounts of his servants. Among the first was one who owed him ten thousand gold ingots. As the man could not repay the debt, the king commanded that he be sold as a slave with his wife, children and all his goods in payment.
“The official threw himself at the feet of the king and said, ‘Give me time, and I will pay you back everything.’ The king took pity on him and not only set him free but even canceled his debt.
“This official then left the king’s presence and he met one of his companions who owed him a hundred pieces of silver. He grabbed him by the neck and almost strangled him, shouting, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ His companion threw himself at his feet and asked him, ‘Give me time, and I will pay everything.’ The other did not agree, but sent him to prison until he had paid all his debt.
“His companions saw what happened. They were indignant and so they went and reported everything to their lord. Then the lord summoned his official and said, ‘Wicked servant, I forgave you all that you owed when you begged me to do so. Weren’t you bound to have pity on your companion as I had pity on you?’ The lord was now angry, so he handed his servant over to be punished, until he had paid his whole debt.”
Jesus added, “So will my heavenly Father do with you unless each of you sincerely forgive your brother or sister.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
The maxim “It is easier to forgive than to forget” has become a convenient excuse for most people not to reconcile. When one says it is easier to forgive than to forget, he is also saying that forgetting the offenses inflicted by others is harder compared to forgiving them. The implication is since forgiving is very difficult, forgetting is next to impossible.
Is forgetting really difficult? Don’t young and old people alike share the same problem of forgetfulness? Perhaps it’s really a question of selective memory. If so, then forgetting is really a function of the will. If one wills it, he can forget the wrong done to him.
Incidentally, forgive contains the word “give”, and forget, the word “get”. “Give and get”, like “give and take”, reminds us that forgiveness cannot be the work of one party. It is easier to forgive than to forget because forgiving can be unilateral. Forgetting happens when reconciliation is bilateral. – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., D.M.
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