The Nazareth Page - A gospel meditation for your home
September 13, 2026: Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time - Matthew 18:21-35
REFLECTION QUESTIONS:
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To be a genuine follower of Christ implies that we be persons who forgive others, especially those who in some ways have hurt us. Or inconvenienced us. Or have been unkind to us. Or even owe us money, which apparently even happened in the time of Jesus. In other words, the list of possible reasons to forgive others can be viewed as very long.
Failure to forgive almost inevitably distances us from others. It’s like being stuck in the mud of remorse or anger which prevents us from moving closer to those who have harmed us. Or even separated us permanently.
Instances of family separations and squabbles, initiated by small or large hurts or disagreements, are often allowed to continue for years. Keeping the dividing walls of separation high and the doors locked may even feel the right thing to do. Commonly, each side may claim the high ground of being right. Or using a better word, righteous. Forgiveness may even feel like a sign of weakness, giving-up or giving-in. Such family situations can feel very complicated. And often are.
In Jesus inviting us to forgive, he does not add that we should also forget past events. In fact, it may be impossible to forget past hurts caused by others. Nor does forgiving erase the hurt felt by past acts of harm. What’s done is done. And if we think about this in purely human terms, we will not grasp the meaning of today’s gospel dealing with forgiveness. For it is founded not simply about our forgiving others, but of God forgiving us.
For that truth is what underlies this gospel, God’s mercy given to us abundantly. The “king” that Jesus uses to respond to Peter’s question as to how often we should forgive others is really God. And when Peter wants a number as to how often God forgives, Jesus goes along with his need for a number with the seven times seventy, which is 490, but really means that with God there is no limit to forgiveness.
And if we want to imitate God (which is the point of this gospel) we do this best by being forgiving people. And not by putting limits on our forgiving. Is this possible? Probably not. But then we can ask God to forgive us with the expectation that God will. Then we move on to the next day where we may again need to ask for God’s forgiveness. And God will certainly give it.
David M. Thomas, PhD