My dear Friends in Christ,
Our readings for this 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time focus on mercy and forgiveness. Our psalm reminds us that God shows us mercy. Our Gospel lends to Jesus telling parables about mercy. Jesus tells Peter that we must forgive "seventy times seven" times. This parable of the Unforgiving Servant serves up an important lesson about forgiveness. God’s mercy is abundant, and we must pass that mercy on to others. Just as the king forgives the servant’s debt, we too have been forgiven by God, and we are called to extend the same grace to others. It might strike one as odd as to why the forgiven servant fails to show mercy to another. This disrespectful act is met with severe consequences. The spiritual truth was relaxed by the forgiven servant. He seemed to forget that if we do not forgive others, we risk losing the grace we have received. The Gospel calls us to be mindful of how we treat others, recognizing that our actions reflect our relationship with God. Forgiveness is not an optional but a necessary expression of our faith. Forgiveness is not limited. Peter’s question about how times to forgive is answered by Jesus with a call to unlimited mercy. God’s mercy knows no limits. It has no underlying conditions. We are reminded continuously that God’s grace is given freely to those who wish to receive it with an open mind and an open heart.
It was brought to my attention last week that Ann Connolly (longtime chairperson) of the Women of Joy will be stepping down at the end of the year after a 20+ year run. Thank you Ann for your dedication and service!
May God bless you all,
Father John