The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

Today's Reflections

The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

 

Mt 18:21—19:1

²¹Peter [approached and] asked [Jesus], “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” ²²Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. ²³That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. ²⁵Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt. ²⁶At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’ ²⁷Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan. ²⁸When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, ‘Pay back what you owe.’ ²⁹Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ ³⁰But he refused. Instead, he had him put in prison until he paid back the debt. ³¹Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. ³²His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. ³³Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?’ ³⁴Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. ³⁵So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.”

¹When Jesus finished these words, he left Galilee and went to the district of Judea across the Jordan.

Reflection:

How often must I forgive him? God freely forgives us without limit and condition. Here Jesus tells Peter to forgive to the utmost of his capacity. Seven for the Jews  signifies fullness, completeness. Multiplying seven with seventy, Jesus says that we must forgive without limits because God’s forgiveness is limitless.

God never refuses us his forgiveness, so why should we limit our forgiveness? God has forgiven us first and continually. The forgiveness we ask from God is the same forgiveness that we withhold from our brothers and sisters.

Who are the people whom we have to forgive?

Who are those from whom we have to ask forgiveness?