Fresh Dew Media

 24^th Sunday, Year A: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: Forgive and You Will Be Forgiven

Readings: Sir 27:30–28:7; Ps 103; Rom 14:7–9; Mt 18:21–35

Dear friends, last Sunday, Jesus challenged all Christians to condemn sin and, with love, correct those who do evil wherever they are found. In today’s readings, He gives us a beautiful theme essential for building every Christian community—a theme that distinguishes those who truly belong to Christ from those who do not. It is the theme of forgiveness. The readings remind us that if we desire an authentic Christian life—one that enjoys a true relationship with God, fosters healthy relationships with others, and promotes inner well‑being—we must walk the path of forgiveness, mercy, and reconciliation.

Some people take pleasure in revenge. Some say they feel relieved when they “pay back” the evil done to them. Some even boast of being “cross and die”. A Nigerian musician once summarized this mentality in his song: “If you do me, I do you; man no go vex. Touch me, I touch you; man no go vex.” But, dear friends, today’s first reading rejects this attitude. It teaches that those who seek revenge will themselves face revenge from God. According to the text, revenge springs from unforgiveness, and unforgiveness—rooted in anger, hatred, rancor, and wrath—destroys our relationship with God. The author insists that it is contradictory to ask God for forgiveness while refusing to forgive a brother or sister who has offended us. This is true: if you desire mercy from God, you must show mercy to others.

Anger, rancor, and hatred—the roots of unforgiveness—have both physical and spiritual consequences. Physically, they cause sleeplessness and inner unrest. Psychologists and physiologists note that when a person is angry, the body releases large amounts of adrenaline, which harms the body’s systems and contributes to illnesses. Even stomach ulcers are often linked to prolonged anger and emotional turmoil. Spiritually, the first reading teaches that anger, hatred, and resentment prevent us from forgiving others and, thus, destroy our relationship with God. It even calls these attitudes “abominations”. When we refuse to forgive others, God will not forgive us. Let us remember that it is practically impossible for a Christian to be at peace with God while remaining in conflict with fellow Christians. The forgiveness we extend to others opens our hearts to receive forgiveness from God. In short, forgiveness is an indispensable condition for receiving God’s healing and mercy.

Dear friends, unforgiveness makes us prisoners of our unhappy past, but forgiveness liberates us and allows us to be at peace with our memories. When we withhold forgiveness, we remain perpetual victims; when we forgive, we reclaim our well‑being.

The first reading concludes by urging us to remember the shortness of life and to abandon hatred and revenge. We must reject anger, hatred, rancor, and resentment, and forgive offenders if we wish to remain healthy and enjoy a good relationship with God. If we look closely at our society, we will see that one of the major causes of divorce, domestic violence, homicide, and even wars is unforgiveness.

The gospel of today, through the parable of the unforgiving servant, deepens our understanding of the first reading. The question Peter asked and the response Jesus gave contain an important lesson for us. Peter’s question suggested that forgiveness should have a limit. In fact, Hebrew culture and religion (cf. Amos 2:6) held that one could retaliate after forgiving three times. By proposing seven times—a biblical number symbolizing perfection—Peter was essentially asking whether there is a point at which one has endured enough and can legitimately seek vengeance.

But, dear friends, Jesus’ response—seventy‑seven times seven—teaches that for Christians there must be no limit to forgiveness. Every Christian is called to forgive without placing conditions on the offender.

The reason we must forgive without limits or conditions is simple: God’s forgiveness toward us has no limits and no conditions. What we are asked to forgive in others is nothing compared to the innumerable grave sins God forgives in us every day. This is the heart of today’s parable. The hundred denarii owed by the second servant cannot be compared to the ten thousand talents owed by the first servant. A hundred denarii is less than one percent of ten thousand talents. If the master cancelled such an enormous debt for the first servant, it was expected—out of gratitude and joy—that the servant would forgive the small debt of his fellow servant. But he refused. His refusal can only be described as ingratitude.

Friends, this is exactly how we appear before God when we refuse to forgive those who offend us. We become ungrateful children of a loving Father who forgives us endlessly.

Finally, the Lord’s Prayer, which we recite every day, says, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” And Jesus added a solemn warning immediately after teaching this prayer: “If you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will forgive you yours; but if you do not forgive others, your heavenly Father will not forgive your sins either.” (cf. Mt 6:14–15)

This means that if we have not been forgiving others, then implicitly the sins we have confessed have not been forgiven by God. We deceive ourselves when we pray the Our Father yet refuse to forgive. Sirach 28:2 reinforces this truth, saying, “Pardon your neighbour any wrongs done to you, and when you pray, your sins will be forgiven.”

Therefore, dearest friends, let us go home today and search our hearts. Let us remember all those who have offended us and do for them what Jesus has done for us on the Cross of Calvary and what He continues to do for us in the sacrament of confession. Let us stop keeping a list of offenders. Let us forgive, and we will be forgiven.

Peace be with you

Fr. Isaac Chinemerem Chima