Our Sabbath Scripture Stories – 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time – Cycle A

Read or listen to this Sunday’s Mass readings here.

  • Sirach 27:30—28:7
  • Romans 14:7-9
  • Matthew 18:21-35

It was the first big assignment Vincent had in his new math class, and he had stayed up late last night trying to finish it.  But things just hadn’t clicked for him.  Even yet this morning, Vincent was lamenting the homework that swallowed him up!

“I just don’t get it, Dad,” Vincent sighed into his breakfast cereal.  “I’ll just have to go to my math teacher, Mrs. Benson, tomorrow and get extra help.”

“That’s a great idea, Vincent,” Dad agreed.  “She might be able to explain it again in a new and different way.  I know you’ll get it!”

Soon the breakfast dishes were cleared away, and the Pauline family settled into the living room to hear the Gospel reading for today’s Mass.  Dad opened his Bible to the 18th chapter of Matthew and read the wonderful words on forgiveness in the exchange between Peter and Jesus.

When Dad closed his Bible, he noticed a look of frustration on Vincent’s face.

“Vincent, why the look?” Dad asked him.

“It’s just more math, Dad!” Vincent sighed.  “Even in our Gospel reading for today, there are numbers!”

Dad chuckled.  “Oh, you mean when Peter asks Jesus how many times must you forgive someone, and Jesus says, ‘seventy–seven times’ !”   (Matthew 18:22)

“Yeah, that’s it,” Vincent said, scratching his head.  “Numbers … math … numbers …math!”

“Well, this might help, Vincent,” Dad offered.  “Jesus tells Peter that you need to forgive others 77 times.  But, it’s not a number we can count!  In Hebrew, the number 77 means the same as always.  We learn that from the book of Genesis 4:24.  Jesus did not limit forgiveness to a fixed number but declared that our forgiveness must be continuous and forever.”

“Do you think Mrs. Benson will go for the answer ‘always’ on a math test?” Vincent chuckled.

“I really don’t think so … ” Dad smiled.  “The point here is that our behavior should be framed in understanding and mercy.”

“And that is why Jesus goes on to tell the parable of the king and the servants,” Mom added.  “It’s another example of mercy and forgiveness.”

“That’s right, Therese,” Dad added.  “You see, the king, in his mercy, forgave the servant his debt.  Then the very same servant goes out and is confronted with a similar situation.  Another servant owes money to him.  But does he show the same mercy as the king showed him?  No!  He puts the debtor in prison.”

“And then people who saw what happened go and tell the king what the first servant had done,” added Mom, “and the king angrily recalls the man whose debt he forgave.  He’s not very happy with him!”

“That’s when the king throws the first guy into jail, too!”  Vincent chimed in.  “I guess you can say ‘what goes around, comes around’!”

Dad laughed.  “That’s true, Vincent, in this case at least.  The king wished that the servant showed the same mercy that had been shown to him.  When that didn’t happen, the king gave him the same consequences that the servant gave to the other man.”

“So, to sum it up,” Mom reasoned, “in this parable, the king is like God Who, in mercy, forgives the entire debt of the servant when there is no hope in repaying it.  Now, if we think we can treat others with less mercy, we are sadly mistaken!  The parable teaches us that God will treat us the same way we have treated others.”

“Absolutely, Therese!” Dad agreed.  “This parable shows the difference between man’s ungenerous approach to forgiveness and God’s infinite mercy.”

Then looking at Vincent, Dad smiled.  He had this great math question for him. 

“Now Vincent,” Dad posed, “our reading said that the servant owed 10,000 talents.  If one talent is worth 6,000 denarii, and the servant only earned one denarius a day, how much of a debt did the king forgive?”

Vincent’s eyes opened wide.  “Dad,” Vincent said in shock, “I’ll need a paper and pencil to figure out that math question!  All I can say is that the king forgave a HUGE debt!” 

Dad was laughing.  “Well, Son, I just wanted to give you an idea of the enormous value attached to the pardon we receive from God.  But God does not limit His forgiveness to a fixed number.” 

“That’s right, Dad,” Vincent agreed.  “It gives me another excellent math answer!  God’s mercy … plus forgiveness … equals … HUGE!”

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Cycle A, 24 OT, SSSDownload

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