Gospel Reflection on Matthew 18:21-35
September 13, 2026
“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?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.
“Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; 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. So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 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.’ So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. 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. Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
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Our culture has decided that there's something distasteful about mercy.
Mercy is viewed almost with contempt, both by those who might be on the receiving end, as well as those who are in the helping professions.
Our culture has become so dominated by entitlement that there's something embarrassing about mercy and forgiveness. Both of these leave us naked, so to speak. We can do nothing in return except be grateful for; but the account is imbalanced as far as we're concerned.
That's difficult for us because we like to feel worthy, deserving, accomplished. In the face of mercy, we're simply poor and undeserving. And we never want to be in that position. And oddly, this applies even if we have made mistakes and been forgiven. We act as if this has nothing to do with what others have failed to do or have done to us.
We have a very scientific approach to reality, where the tendency is to separate things from each other in order to understand them better. There is an important need to reflect on our own position before God whenever we find ourselves considering the position of others relative to us. We have a tendency, very pharisaic, to keep these two relationships separated. We tend to think that our sins against others and God are not relevant to the question of the sins of others against us. But this isn't true. The one who is forgiven by God forgives others; the one who does not pardon others has not taken in the pardon of God.
God always stands before us filled with compassion. That should prompt us to have tenderness and compassion towards the failings of others against us. God knows the stuff of which we're made. God knows how weak and fragile we are. Life involves being forgiven a thousand times, to be welcomed home a thousand times. A child cannot grow if they're not welcomed and forgiven on a continuous basis.
Life is this surprising discovery that we have been given a second and a third chance to pick ourselves up and continue. If we can't live according to this logic, it's because we want to show at all costs that we are good, worthy, and deserving. Such a person doesn't want to be pardoned but wants to tell themselves that they're already at right with the world.
The truth is that none of us deserves to live. We have life only because we're loved unconditionally. The question of our merit is of no interest here. What is important is who God is and what our condition is before God.
Anger and unforgiveness towards others is a sure sign that we have not accepted the extent of God's pardon towards ourselves. How many times have graces been given and given again even though we don't deserve them? No matter how badly we are treated by others, God never abandons us. God does not wish for the offenses of others against us. But sometimes through these offenses, we can grow and mature. Before God, we are always debtors: we need to accept this fact humbly, for this is the gate to peace.
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