Contents
Introduction
This Sunday’s Gospel (18:21–35) is a follow-up to that of last Sunday (Matt 18:15–20). The theme of conflict cannot be concluded without touching on the theme of forgiveness too. According to Jesus, “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out his or her fault, just between the two of you. If he or she listens to you, you have won him or her over. But if he or she will not listen, take one or two others from the community along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If the brother or sister in question still refuses to listen, tell it to the Church; and if he or she refuses to listen even to the Church, treat him or her as you would treat a pagan or a tax collector.” If the issue is resolved in the first, second, or third attempt, the next thing is for the victim to forgive the offender. What if, after the last stage, the offender refuses to admit his or her fault? It means the person has not yet obtained forgiveness.
How many times?
“Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times’” (Matt 18:21–22). After listening and reflecting on Jesus’ guidelines on how to resolve conflicts in Matthew 18:21–35, Peter sought further clarification from Jesus. After replying to Peter’s question, Jesus went ahead and buttressed his response with a touching story. Peter inquired from Jesus about how many times he is supposed to forgive his brother or sister who offends him. Based on the biblical significance of the number 3 as completeness, Peter thought that after he might have forgiven his brother or sister three times, there should be no need to keep forgiving. But Jesus disagreed and extended the forgiveness to seventy times seven (cf. Gen 4:24 for a similar expression by Abraham). Seventy times seven means indefinite and limitless. That means forgiveness does not and should not have a limit. How about asking for forgiveness? Should it have a limit?
Conclusion
That Jesus asked us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us (cf. Matt 5:44; Luke 6:27–28) does not mean we should maltreat people. People should not hold on to Jesus’ words to continue to sin against others. It is an abuse of the words of the Gospel. The same Jesus who says to pray for your persecutors also says to do to others what you would want others to do to you. In other words, if you know what you do not want done to you, then do not do that to others. Jesus calls this the golden rule’ (cf. Matt 7:12). If Peter should forgive seventy times seven, then the brother or sister who sins against him should as well ask for forgiveness seventy times seven. That is, we should always be ready and willing to forgive, and especially to ask for forgiveness. Luke makes this more explicit when he instructs that if your brother or sister sins seven times a day and seven times comes to you and says, I repent, I am sorry, you must forgive him or her (cf. Luke 17:4).
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SUNDAY REFLECTIONS” (vols. I‑II-III)!! The reflection for the 24th Sunday of the year (A) is found in The Word of Life, vol. I, pages 444–453. Happy reading!
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