Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church
Lectionary: 491
Lectionary: 491
Paul, a slave of
God and Apostle of Jesus Christ
for the sake of the faith of God’s chosen ones
and the recognition of religious truth,
in the hope of eternal life
that God, who does not lie, promised before time began,
who indeed at the proper time revealed his word
in the proclamation with which I was entrusted
by the command of God our savior,
to Titus, my true child in our common faith:
grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior.
For this reason I left you in Crete
so that you might set right what remains to be done
and appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you,
on condition that a man be blameless,
married only once, with believing children
who are not accused of licentiousness or rebellious.
For a bishop as God’s steward must be blameless, not arrogant,
not irritable, not a drunkard, not aggressive,
not greedy for sordid gain, but hospitable, a lover of goodness,
temperate, just, holy, and self-controlled,
holding fast to the true message as taught
so that he will be able both to exhort with sound doctrine
and to refute opponents.
for the sake of the faith of God’s chosen ones
and the recognition of religious truth,
in the hope of eternal life
that God, who does not lie, promised before time began,
who indeed at the proper time revealed his word
in the proclamation with which I was entrusted
by the command of God our savior,
to Titus, my true child in our common faith:
grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our savior.
For this reason I left you in Crete
so that you might set right what remains to be done
and appoint presbyters in every town, as I directed you,
on condition that a man be blameless,
married only once, with believing children
who are not accused of licentiousness or rebellious.
For a bishop as God’s steward must be blameless, not arrogant,
not irritable, not a drunkard, not aggressive,
not greedy for sordid gain, but hospitable, a lover of goodness,
temperate, just, holy, and self-controlled,
holding fast to the true message as taught
so that he will be able both to exhort with sound doctrine
and to refute opponents.
Responsorial Psalm PS 24:1B-2, 3-4AB, 5-6
R. (see 6) Lord, this is the people that longs to see
your face.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
The LORD’s are the earth and its fullness;
the world and those who dwell in it.
For he founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the rivers.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Who can ascend the mountain of the LORD?
or who may stand in his holy place?
He whose hands are sinless, whose heart is clean,
who desires not what is vain.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
He shall receive a blessing from the LORD,
a reward from God his savior.
Such is the race that seeks for him,
that seeks the face of the God of Jacob.
R. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face.
Gospel LK 17:1-6
Jesus said to his
disciples,
“Things that cause sin will inevitably occur,
but woe to the one through whom they occur.
It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck
and he be thrown into the sea
than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.
Be on your guard!
If your brother sins, rebuke him;
and if he repents, forgive him.
And if he wrongs you seven times in one day
and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’
you should forgive him.”
And the Apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”
The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,
you would say to this mulberry tree,
‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”
“Things that cause sin will inevitably occur,
but woe to the one through whom they occur.
It would be better for him if a millstone were put around his neck
and he be thrown into the sea
than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.
Be on your guard!
If your brother sins, rebuke him;
and if he repents, forgive him.
And if he wrongs you seven times in one day
and returns to you seven times saying, ‘I am sorry,’
you should forgive him.”
And the Apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”
The Lord replied, “If you have faith the size of a mustard seed,
you would say to this mulberry tree,
‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.”
Meditation: "Increase our faith"
What's the driving force in your life? Jesus speaks
of two forces at work in our lives - the power of the temptation to sin and
cause harm and the power of faith to overcome obstacles and difficulties that
stand in the way of loving God and our neighbor. The Greek word for temptation (scandalon)
is the same as the English word scandal. The original meaning of
scandal is a trap or a stumbling block which causes one to trip and fall. The
scriptures warn us about the snare or enticement to go astray and to do what is
evil. Keep me from the trap which they have laid for me, and from the
snares of evildoers! (Psalm 141:9) Whoever loves a brother or
sister lives in the light, and in such a person there is no cause for stumbling (1
John 2:10).
Jesus commands us to not give bad example or
lead others into sin
The Jews held that it was an unforgivable sin to teach another to sin. If we teach another to sin, he or she in turn may teach still another, until a train of sin is set in motion with no foreseeable end. Jesus warns his disciples of the terrible responsibility that they must set no stumbling block in the way of another, that is, not give offense or bad example that might lead another to sin. The young in faith are especially vulnerable to the bad example of those who should be passing on the faith.
The Jews held that it was an unforgivable sin to teach another to sin. If we teach another to sin, he or she in turn may teach still another, until a train of sin is set in motion with no foreseeable end. Jesus warns his disciples of the terrible responsibility that they must set no stumbling block in the way of another, that is, not give offense or bad example that might lead another to sin. The young in faith are especially vulnerable to the bad example of those who should be passing on the faith.
The power of faith for overcoming obstacles
While Jesus warns against the danger of giving bad example and causing scandal, he also demonstrates the power of faith for overcoming obstacles and temptation to sin. What did Jesus mean when he said that our faith can move trees and mountains as well (see Matthew17:20; Mark 11:23)? The term "mountain remover" was used for someone who could solve great problems and difficulties.
While Jesus warns against the danger of giving bad example and causing scandal, he also demonstrates the power of faith for overcoming obstacles and temptation to sin. What did Jesus mean when he said that our faith can move trees and mountains as well (see Matthew17:20; Mark 11:23)? The term "mountain remover" was used for someone who could solve great problems and difficulties.
The Holy Spirit helps us to grow in expectant
faith
Don't we often encounter challenges and difficulties which seem beyond our power to handle? What appears impossible to human power is possible to those who believe in God's power. Faith is a gift freely given by God to help us know God personally, to understand his truth, and to live in the power of his love. God expects more from us than we can simply do by ourselves. That is why Jesus gives us the gift and power of the Holy Spirit who helps us to grow strong in faith, persevere in hope, and endure in love.
Don't we often encounter challenges and difficulties which seem beyond our power to handle? What appears impossible to human power is possible to those who believe in God's power. Faith is a gift freely given by God to help us know God personally, to understand his truth, and to live in the power of his love. God expects more from us than we can simply do by ourselves. That is why Jesus gives us the gift and power of the Holy Spirit who helps us to grow strong in faith, persevere in hope, and endure in love.
Faith in God is the key for removing obstacles
and difficulties which keep us from doing his will. We belong to God and our
lives are no longer our own. Our joy and privilege is to follow the Lord Jesus
and to serve in the power of his love and goodness. The Lord Jesus is ever
ready to work in and through us for his glory. For our faith to be effective it
must be linked with trust and with obedience - an active submission to
God and a willingness to do whatever he commands. Do you trust in the grace and
strength which God freely gives to help us resist temptation and to overcome
obstacles in doing his will?
"Lord Jesus, you give us victory over the
destructive forces of sin and harmful desires that keep us from doing your
will. Give me the strength to always choose what is good and to reject what is
wrong. May your love rule my heart that I may forgive those who cause me harm
and guide those who need your help."
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Uprooting Sin |
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November 10,
2014. Memorial of Saint Leo the Great, Pope and Doctor of the Church
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By Father Edward
Hopkins, LC.
Luke 17:1-6
Jesus said to his
disciples, "Things that cause sin will inevitably occur, but woe to the
person through whom they occur. It would be better for him if a millstone
were put around his neck and he be thrown into the sea than for him to cause
one of these little ones to sin. Be on your guard! If your brother sins,
rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times
in one day and returns to you seven times saying, ´I am sorry,´ you should
forgive him." And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our
faith." The Lord replied, "If you have faith the size of a mustard
seed, you would say to (this) mulberry tree, ´Be uprooted and planted in the
sea,´ and it would obey you.
Introductory
Prayer: I believe in you, Lord
Jesus, as the only one who can fill my heart. I believe in the power of faith
to change my life and the lives of others. I trust that you will grant me the
light and strength to cast out sin from my life. I come to you in prayer so
that I can love you even more with a firm but serene opposition to sin.
Petition: Lord, may I desire “death before committing one
sin.”
1. Causing Others
to Sin: The negative effects of
sin are many: offending God, damaging my conscience and soul, hardening my
heart, forming bad habits, losing grace and will power, creating distance and
difficulty in prayer, etc. But no result of sin is more damaging than that of
scandal, where my sin leads others to sin. Why is this so serious? As a
Christian I am called to live and teach Christ’s life to others. Scandal
falsifies and contradicts my vocation and mission in life. We all have
“little ones” entrusted to us: children, family members, those new to the
faith, those searching, those who are especially weak…. If I am truly
dedicated to lead them to Christ, then sin and scandal will have little room.
How real and determined is my dedication?
2. Rebuke and
Forgive: We must fight sin
wherever we find it. How much more difficult does this become in a world
where tolerance is ranked above virtue! Even in family life we are tempted to
let things go and not create friction and uneasiness. But if sin is our
greatest enemy, then we must always cast it out. The key is to do everything
with the heart of Christ, a heart of love: ready to forgive the sinner, never
judging their heart, but never minimizing an evil action. How well do I teach
moral truth? Do I distinguish the sin from the sinner? Is Christ’s love
always my motivation and dominant message?
3. Faith Uproots
Sin: All of this -- fighting
personal sin and helping others conquer it -- seemed a bit much for the
apostles. They begged for an increase of faith. Faith of any size embraces
God’s understanding of the evil of sin and seeks to live accordingly. Yet sin
is not overcome easily, and mere understanding is not enough. We must uproot
sin from our lives and reject it constantly in the lives of others. Only
Christ’s love provides the strength we need, and often the perseverance in
battling the same sins over time only comes through the strength that comes
from Christ’s love. Only through Christ can our hearts be filled and not
return to old habits of sin.
Conversation with
Christ: Give me, Lord, the
courage to fight sin in my life. Grant me your heart, Lord, so I can fight
and suffer without cowardice, without taking time out and without
discouragement, even if others do not understand or thank me. Help me to
uproot sin from my life and put you first.
Resolution: I will fight to eradicate sins against charity in
my family or work life. I will avoid it and call others to do so too in a
gentle but firm manner.
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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10 (Thirty-Second Week in
Ordinary Time) LUKE 17:1-6
(Titus 1:1-9; Psalm 24)
(Titus 1:1-9; Psalm 24)
KEY VERSE: "If you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mulberry tree, `Be uprooted and planted in the sea,' and it would obey you" (v 6).
READING: Luke collected various teachings of Jesus, some of which were: avoiding offenses (v 1-2); how to treat an offending member of the community (v 3-4); and the efficacy of faith (v 5-6). The first saying involved those who caused innocent people to sin. Jesus told the future leaders of the Church that a terrible chastisement awaited those who scandalized his "little ones." To be thrown into the sea with a mill-stone (used to grind corn) hung about the neck, was a common proverb regarding punishment for wrongdoing. Then Jesus addressed the matter of forgiving other members of the community who mistreated them. A disciple should be willing to forgive fellow Christians as often as they were asked ("70 x 7" in Matthew 18:22). Faced with these challenges, the disciples cried, "Increase our faith" (v 5). Jesus told them that they only needed a small amount of faith to accomplish great works. With faith the size of a mustard seed, they could cast a huge mulberry tree into the sea. This figure of speech referred to the accomplishment of things that were very difficult, but not impossible with Jesus at our side.
REFLECTING: What obstacles stand in the way of my spiritual growth?
PRAYING: Lord Jesus, help me to heed your words so that I might grow in charity and faith.
Memorial of Leo the Great, pope and doctor of
the Church
Leo the Great was Pope from 440 to 461 during the time of the invasion of Attila, king and general of the Hun Empire. When Attila marched on Rome, Pope Leo went out to meet him and pleaded for the army to leave. As Leo spoke, Attila saw a vision of a man in priestly robes, carrying a bare sword, and threatening to kill the invader if he did not obey Pope Leo. As Leo had a great devotion to St. Peter, it is generally believed Peter was the visionary opponent to the Huns. When Genseric, king of the Vandals, invaded Rome, Pope Leo's sanctity and eloquence saved the city again. Pope Leo called the Council of Chalcedon to condemn heresies of the day: Nestorianism, Monophysitism, Manichaeism, and Pelagianism. He wrote letters and sermons encouraging and teaching his flock. Many of these writings survive today; it is for these writings that Leo was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church in 1574.
NOTE: Nestorianism is a fifth-century heresy that held there were two distinct persons in the Incarnate Christ, one human and the other divine, as against the orthodox teaching that Christ was a divine person who assumed a human nature. Its name was taken from Nestorius, Bishop of Constantinople. Nestorianism was condemned by the ecumenical Council of Ephesus in 431. Monophysitism, also a fifth century heresy, claimed that in Christ there was only one nature. It was condemned by the Council of Chalcedon in 451. Manichaeism is a dualistic thrid century heresy initiated by a Persian named Manichaeus who taught that there were two sources of creation: God is the creator of all that is good, and Satan of all that is evil. The human spirit is from God; the body is from the devil. In practice Manichaeism denies human responsibility for the evil that one does, on the premise that this is not due to one's own free will but to the dominance of Satan's power in one's life. Pelagianism is the heretical teaching on grace of Pelagius, a fifth century monk who was scandalized at St. Augustine's teaching on the need for grace to remain chaste, arguing that this imperiled the human use of free will. Pelagius was several times condemned by Church councils during his lifetime. As Pelagianism later developed, it totally denied the supernatural order and the necessity of grace for salvation.
Monday 10 November 2014
St Leo the Great.
Titus 1:1-9. Lord, this is the people that longs to see your face—Ps
23(24):1-6. Luke 17:1-6.
‘Lord, increase our faith.’
Where would we be but for
God? Left to ourselves, we can only fail: but Christ’s victory is ours! At
times, we can become low-hearted because of a self rejection that comes from
our sinfulness. Yet, it is when we are weak that we are strong. His love far
outweighs our unworthiness.
Lord, may we remember that
we belong to a fellowship of the weak, transparent to you who speak to us in
the lonely places of our existence and that, with you, all is well. Teach us to
believe that with you we are loved and special.
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
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Using Your Talents
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Let’s pray for discernment, that we will come to understand our
own gifts and talents and use them to serve God. If we all dedicate our lives
to using our gifts fully to serve Him and those in need around us, the world
will be transformed.
November
10
St. Leo the Great
(d. 461)
St. Leo the Great
(d. 461)
With apparent strong conviction of the importance of the Bishop of
Rome in the Church, and of the Church as the ongoing sign of Christ’s presence
in the world, Leo the Great displayed endless dedication as pope. Elected in
440, he worked tirelessly as "Peter’s successor," guiding his fellow
bishops as "equals in the episcopacy and infirmities."
Leo is
known as one of the best administrative popes of the ancient Church. His work
branched into four main areas, indicative of his notion of the pope’s total
responsibility for the flock of Christ. He worked at length to control the
heresies of Pelagianism (overemphasizing human freedom), Manichaeism (seeing
everything material as evil) and others, placing demands on their followers so
as to secure true Christian beliefs. A second major area of his concern was
doctrinal controversy in the Church in the East, to which he responded with a
classic letter setting down the Church’s teaching on the two natures of Christ.
With strong faith, he also led the defense of Rome against barbarian attack,
taking the role of peacemaker.
In these
three areas, Leo’s work has been highly regarded. His growth to sainthood has
its basis in the spiritual depth with which he approached the pastoral care of
his people, which was the fourth focus of his work. He is known for his
spiritually profound sermons. An instrument of the call to holiness,
well-versed in Scripture and ecclesiastical awareness, Leo had the ability to
reach the everyday needs and interests of his people. One of his sermons is
used in the Office of Readings on Christmas.
It is
said of Leo that his true significance rests in his doctrinal insistence on the
mysteries of Christ and the Church and in the supernatural charisms of the
spiritual life given to humanity in Christ and in his Body, the Church. Thus
Leo held firmly that everything he did and said as pope for the administration
of the Church represented Christ, the head of the Mystical Body, and St. Peter,
in whose place Leo acted.
Stories:
It is
said of Leo that his true significance rests in his doctrinal insistence on the
mysteries of Christ and the church and in the supernatural charisms of the
spiritual life given to humanity in Christ and in his body, the church. Thus
Leo held firmly that everything he did and said as pope for the administration
of the church represented Christ, the head of the Mystical Body, and Saint
Peter, in whose place Leo acted.
Comment:
At a time when there is widespread criticism of Church structures, we also hear criticism that bishops and priests—indeed, all of us—are too preoccupied with administration of temporal matters. Pope Leo is an example of a great administrator who used his talents in areas where spirit and structure are inseparably combined: doctrine, peace and pastoral care. He avoided an "angelism" that tries to live without the body, as well as the "practicality" that deals only in externals.
At a time when there is widespread criticism of Church structures, we also hear criticism that bishops and priests—indeed, all of us—are too preoccupied with administration of temporal matters. Pope Leo is an example of a great administrator who used his talents in areas where spirit and structure are inseparably combined: doctrine, peace and pastoral care. He avoided an "angelism" that tries to live without the body, as well as the "practicality" that deals only in externals.
LECTIO DIVINA:
LUKE 17,1-6
Lectio:
Monday, November 10, 2014
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
God of power and mercy,
protect us from all harm.
Give us freedom of spirit
and health in mind and body
to do your work on earth.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
protect us from all harm.
Give us freedom of spirit
and health in mind and body
to do your work on earth.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel reading - Luke 17,1-6
Jesus said to his disciples, 'Causes of falling are sure to
come, but alas for the one through whom they occur! It would be better for such
a person to be thrown into the sea with a millstone round the neck than to be
the downfall of a single one of these little ones.
Keep watch on yourselves! 'If your brother does something wrong, rebuke him and, if he is sorry, forgive him.
And if he wrongs you seven times a day and seven times comes back to you and says, "I am sorry," you must forgive him.'
The apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith.' The Lord replied, 'If you had faith like a mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree, "Be uprooted and planted in the sea," and it would obey you.
Keep watch on yourselves! 'If your brother does something wrong, rebuke him and, if he is sorry, forgive him.
And if he wrongs you seven times a day and seven times comes back to you and says, "I am sorry," you must forgive him.'
The apostles said to the Lord, 'Increase our faith.' The Lord replied, 'If you had faith like a mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree, "Be uprooted and planted in the sea," and it would obey you.
3) Reflection
• Today the Gospel gives us three different words of Jesus: one
on how to avoid causing scandal or scandalizing the little ones, the other one
on the importance of pardon and a third one on Faith in God which we should
have.
• Luke 17, 1-2: First word: To avoid scandal. “Jesus said to his disciples: “It is unavoidable that there are scandals, but alas for the one through whom they occur. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone round the neck than to be the downfall of a single one of these little ones”. To cause scandal is that which makes people trip and fall. At the level of faith, it means that which drives away the person from the right path: to scandalize the little ones, to be for them the cause to draw away from God and make them lose their faith in God. Anyone who does this deserves the following sentence: “A millstone round the neck and to be thrown into the sea!” Why such severity? This is because Jesus identifies himself with the little ones, with the poor (Mt 25, 40.45). They are those he prefers, the first ones to whom the Good News will be given (cf. Lk 4, 18). Anyone who touches them touches Jesus! Throughout the centuries, many times, we Christians because of our way of living faith have been the cause why the little ones have drawn away from the Church and have gone towards other religions. They have not been able, any longer, to believe, as the Apostle said in the Letter to the Romans, quoting the Prophet Isaiah: “In fact, it is your fault that the name of God is held in contempt among the nations.” (Rm 2, 24; Is 52, 5; Ez 36, 22). Up to what point are we guilty, it is our fault? Do we also deserve the millstone round the neck?
• Luke 17, 3-4: Second word: Forgive your brother. “If your brother does something wrong rebuke him and, if he is sorry, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times a day and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I am sorry’, you must forgive him”. Seven times a day! This is not little! Jesus asks very much! In the Gospel of Matthew, He says that we should forgive seventy times seven! (Mt 18, 22). Forgiveness and reconciliation are some of the themes on which Jesus insists the most. The grace to be able to forgive persons and to reconcile them among themselves and with God was granted to Peter (Mt 16, 19), to the Apostles (Jn 20, 23) and to the community (Mt 18, 18). The parable on the need to forgive our neighbour leaves no doubt: if we do not forgive our brothers, we cannot receive the pardon from God (Mt 18, 22-35; 6, 12.15; Mk 11, 26). And there is no proportion between the pardon that we receive from God and the pardon that we have to offer to our neighbour. The pardon with which God forgives us gratuitously is like ten thousand talents compared to one hundred denarii (Mt 18, 23-35). It is estimated that ten thousand talents are 174 tons of gold; one hundred denarii are not more than 30 grams of gold.
• Luke 17, 5-6: Third word: Increase our faith. “The apostles said to the Lord: ‘Increase our faith!’” The Lord answered: If you had faith like a mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea’, and it would obey you”. In this context of Luke, the question of the apostles seems to be motivated by the order of Jesus to forgive up to seventy times seven, in one day, the brother or the sister who sins against us. It is not easy to forgive. It is only with great faith in God that it is possible to reach the point of having such a great love that it makes it possible for us to forgive up to seventy times seven, in one day, the brother who sins against us. Humanly speaking, in the eyes of the world, to forgive in this way is foolish and a scandal, but for us this attitude is the expression of divine wisdom which forgives us infinitely much more. Paul said: “We announce Christ crucified scandal for the Jews and foolishness for the gentiles (I Co 1, 23).
• Luke 17, 1-2: First word: To avoid scandal. “Jesus said to his disciples: “It is unavoidable that there are scandals, but alas for the one through whom they occur. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone round the neck than to be the downfall of a single one of these little ones”. To cause scandal is that which makes people trip and fall. At the level of faith, it means that which drives away the person from the right path: to scandalize the little ones, to be for them the cause to draw away from God and make them lose their faith in God. Anyone who does this deserves the following sentence: “A millstone round the neck and to be thrown into the sea!” Why such severity? This is because Jesus identifies himself with the little ones, with the poor (Mt 25, 40.45). They are those he prefers, the first ones to whom the Good News will be given (cf. Lk 4, 18). Anyone who touches them touches Jesus! Throughout the centuries, many times, we Christians because of our way of living faith have been the cause why the little ones have drawn away from the Church and have gone towards other religions. They have not been able, any longer, to believe, as the Apostle said in the Letter to the Romans, quoting the Prophet Isaiah: “In fact, it is your fault that the name of God is held in contempt among the nations.” (Rm 2, 24; Is 52, 5; Ez 36, 22). Up to what point are we guilty, it is our fault? Do we also deserve the millstone round the neck?
• Luke 17, 3-4: Second word: Forgive your brother. “If your brother does something wrong rebuke him and, if he is sorry, forgive him. And if he wrongs you seven times a day and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I am sorry’, you must forgive him”. Seven times a day! This is not little! Jesus asks very much! In the Gospel of Matthew, He says that we should forgive seventy times seven! (Mt 18, 22). Forgiveness and reconciliation are some of the themes on which Jesus insists the most. The grace to be able to forgive persons and to reconcile them among themselves and with God was granted to Peter (Mt 16, 19), to the Apostles (Jn 20, 23) and to the community (Mt 18, 18). The parable on the need to forgive our neighbour leaves no doubt: if we do not forgive our brothers, we cannot receive the pardon from God (Mt 18, 22-35; 6, 12.15; Mk 11, 26). And there is no proportion between the pardon that we receive from God and the pardon that we have to offer to our neighbour. The pardon with which God forgives us gratuitously is like ten thousand talents compared to one hundred denarii (Mt 18, 23-35). It is estimated that ten thousand talents are 174 tons of gold; one hundred denarii are not more than 30 grams of gold.
• Luke 17, 5-6: Third word: Increase our faith. “The apostles said to the Lord: ‘Increase our faith!’” The Lord answered: If you had faith like a mustard seed you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea’, and it would obey you”. In this context of Luke, the question of the apostles seems to be motivated by the order of Jesus to forgive up to seventy times seven, in one day, the brother or the sister who sins against us. It is not easy to forgive. It is only with great faith in God that it is possible to reach the point of having such a great love that it makes it possible for us to forgive up to seventy times seven, in one day, the brother who sins against us. Humanly speaking, in the eyes of the world, to forgive in this way is foolish and a scandal, but for us this attitude is the expression of divine wisdom which forgives us infinitely much more. Paul said: “We announce Christ crucified scandal for the Jews and foolishness for the gentiles (I Co 1, 23).
4) Personal questions
• In my life, have I been some times, a cause of scandal for my
neighbour? Or, sometimes, have others been a cause of scandal for me?
• Am I capable to forgive seven times a day my brother or my sister who offends me, seven times a day?
• Am I capable to forgive seven times a day my brother or my sister who offends me, seven times a day?
5) Concluding prayer
Sing to him, make music for him,
recount all his wonders!
Glory in his holy name,
let the hearts that seek Yahweh rejoice! (Ps 105,2-3)
recount all his wonders!
Glory in his holy name,
let the hearts that seek Yahweh rejoice! (Ps 105,2-3)
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