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Gospel Reading for September 13, 2026 – Matthew 18: 21-35
ONE ULTIMATE JUDGE
Peter approached Jesus and asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.
That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. Since 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. At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’ Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan. When 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.’ Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’ But he refused. Instead, he had the fellow servant put in prison until he paid back the debt. Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?’ Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.”
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Why did Peter ask that question? Was he fed up with someone who kept sinning against him? Shouldn’t there come a time to stop forgiving? Because when we come to think of it, to keep forgiving can also seem like allowing ourselves to keep being abused. We might even ask, “Where is the justice in that?”
Jesus’ answer shifts Peter’s focus from counting offenses to imitating the heart of God. There is only ONE ULTIMATE JUDGE—God. Justice belongs to him. Our calling is not to keep score, but to keep our hearts open to mercy. Forgiveness is not a weakness; it is what loving truly means.
Jesus himself treated those who were known as public sinners in his time with mercy and compassion. He did not define them by their sins or label them as hopeless sinners. He saw beyond who they were at that moment. He saw that there was always room for them to change for the better, and that repentance is the key.
Forgiveness is never easy, especially when the wounds run deep and reach the very core of our hearts. It does not mean pretending that the hurt never happened or denying justice. It means entrusting justice to God while asking him to free our hearts from hatred and resentment.
That is why we need the help of the Holy Spirit to strengthen us and give us the grace and wisdom to be merciful and compassionate, so that we may be able to forgive from our hearts as Jesus did.
Lord Jesus, remind us always to forgive as we ourselves hope to be forgiven by God for all the wrong we have done. Amen.
