Daily Word Of God
Matthew 18:21-25a, 27-28a, 29-30, 32-33
Peter went up to Jesus and said, ‘Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times.
‘And so the kingdom of Heaven may be compared to a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servants. When the reckoning began, they brought him a man who owed ten thousand talents; he had no means of paying. And the servant’s master felt so sorry for him that he let him go and cancelled the debt.
‘Now as this servant went out, he happened to meet a fellow-servant who owed him one hundred denarii. His fellow-servant fell at his feet and appealed to him, saying, “Be patient with me and I will pay you.” But the other would not agree; on the contrary, he had him thrown into prison till he should pay the debt.
‘Then the master sent for the man and said to him, “You wicked servant, I cancelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me. Were you not bound, then, to have pity on your fellow-servant just as I had pity on you?” ’
Today's Pointers on God's Word
As you read the passage what words, phases or meanings caught your attention?
- The first debtor in the parable symbolizes the situation we often find ourselves in. God’s merciful and unconditional love for us is so infinite that we will never be able ever to repay our debt to Him.
- However, Jesus does not expect us to repay Him for all He has done and shown us. He only expects us to be merciful, forgiving and loving to others all the times, including those whom we dislike and despise.
- When we are deeply hurt we tend to take revenge or we no longer trust the person who has caused us the hurt. Pray for God’s strength to forgive as we need the divine strength to see us through the storms of our lives.