Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?

 

 Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"  Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.  Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted  to settle accounts with his servants.  And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.  But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.  The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'  Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.  But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!'  So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'  And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.  So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.  Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant!  I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.  Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'  And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.  So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."

 

- Matthew 18:21-35 

 

In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught the disciples, "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.  For the Son of man has come to save that which was lost.  What do you think?  If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?  And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.  Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.  Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.  If he hears you, you have gained your brother.  But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.'  And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church.  But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.  Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.  Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.  For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." 

Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"  Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.  Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted  to settle accounts with his servants.  And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.  But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.  The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'  Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.  But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!'  So his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'  And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.  So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.  Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant!  I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.  Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'  And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.  So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses."  My study Bible explains about today's reading that the number given by Jesus, seventy times seven, is symbolic of an unlimited amount.  It notes that this parable illustrates the need for unlimited forgiveness.  Ten thousand talents, the sum owed to the king, is an impossible sum.  It's more than a laborer could earn in many lifetimes (according to one estimate, 200,000 years of labor).  From an earthly perspective, a hundred denarii is also a significant amount of money -- about three months' wages, but a pittance compared to the giant debt owed to the king.   But God does not just stay the punishment that would equal the debt, but forgives us the entire debt as well.  Since God forgives us, we are in turn asked to grant the gift of forgiveness to others. There is also in patristic tradition a spiritual interpretation of the punishment that is described here.  In that view, the man represents the soul, the wife represents the body, and the children represent a person's deeds.  So, therefore, the body and the deeds are given over to slavery -- that is, to Satan, so that the soul might possibly be saved (see 1 Corinthians 5:5).  

What is forgiveness?  Is it full reconciliation?  Here and in the Sermon on the Mount, in the prayer Jesus gives to us that we call "The Lord's Prayer" (Matthew 6:9-15), Jesus likens our sins against others, as well as those committed against us, to debts, when He teaches us to pray, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors."  He also uses the illustration of trespass in His admonition about forgiveness He adds afterward.  So debts, in this context, become some shortcoming of our own, some way in which we've harmed or hurt others, or sinned against them.  There are all kinds of sins and sinning that harm others, some deliberate, some even inadvertent if we are going to count a liability for something unintentional.  A careless word, harmful gossip unthinkingly repeated, unintended consequences may result in so much harm to another or to ourselves that one might consider it "owed" back for the detriment done.  So what is the cost of forgiveness?  Are we prepared to give up restitution, or what we think we're owed when there is a sin to us or to our well-being?  But let us look at the formula for correction in the Church given by Jesus in yesterday's reading (see above).  The one committing the sin is called upon to recognize what has been done; the failure to do so will result in the person being ostracized from community.  As the repeated expressions of what that means exactly given by my study Bible indicate, this last result, to be delivered  "to Satan for the destruction of the flesh" in the words of St. Paul (1 Corinthians 5:5), is not seen as punishment.  Rather it is seen as the last hope for correction and recognition of destructive behavior, the last means of coming to salvation.  It seems that the giving up of such debts for mutual forgiveness is a way of maintaining community not simply among us and between us, but under God, and as the Body of Christ.  For ultimately, everything is owed to God, the author of our lives, the Creator, the One "in whom we live and move and have our being" (Acts 17:28).   But what of those who refuse to acknowledge their debt?  Jesus does not acknowledge that in the parable, but rather His emphasis is on forgiveness and our own failure to extend it.  Of course, coming after Jesus' teaching about mutual correction and discipline in the Church, Peter's question is really a focus on relationships with fellow faithful ("my brother").  But what of the rest of our lives, in our highly secular world?  How does one forgive when sin is not acknowledged?  What does that look like, as is so often the case?  If we think of God as the One to whom all is owed, then our extended forgiveness is a kind of contract between ourselves and God.  We don't necessarily need full communion with a person who continues to sin or trespass in some way, as is evidenced in Jesus' formula for mutual correction in the Church.  But nevertheless we are encouraged to forgive in the sense of letting go of the debt, refraining from seeking our own means of punishment.  If we're concerned about justice as a way of equalizing things, penny for penny and pound for pound, then we must take into consideration the aspect of Christ's parable that tells us clearly that this will be the work of God, and is not up to us to do ourselves.  I was once told by an attorney (who handled many inheritance cases) that the only place that justice really happens is in heaven, and this would seem to match up with Christ's parable.  What we take away from His teaching is that we forgive, even if that means we simply place our faith in God to work things out, and give us good things with which to build our lives.  Whether or not an injustice or hurt is recognized on worldly terms, we have a way to follow our faith, and exchange our debts for something better, a trust in God.   Note that in the parable the emphasis is on our initiative to forgive, and not on the failure of others to repent.  Ultimately our agreement is with Christ's heavenly Father, our first relationship of prime importance.  Let us endeavor to maintain this relationship with God as we are taught.

And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him

 

 Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!  It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.  Take heed to yourselves.  If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.  And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."

And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."  So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you.  And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'?  But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'?  Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him?  I think not.  So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants.  We have done what was our duty to do.'"

 

- Luke 17:1-10 

 

In yesterday's reading, Jesus taught the following parable:  "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.  But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table.  Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores.  So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom.  The rich man also died and was buried.  And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.  Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.'  But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented.  And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'  Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.'  Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.'  And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.'  But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"

 

  Then He said to the disciples, "It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come!  It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones."  Yesterday's parable, of Lazarus and the Rich Man, was given in response to the scorn of the Pharisees, especially regarding our use of wealth and other resources in a compassionate way.  But today's teaching, we should note, is once again directed to the disciples, and therefore what kind of leadership Christ will ask for in His Church.  My study Bible explains that little ones refers primarily to children, but by extension to anyone whose heart is humble and dependent upon God.  In Matthew 18:1-4, Jesus points to a little child as the model of true discipleship.  My study Bible suggests that this is an emphasis on the virtues required for entrance into the kingdom of heaven:  humility, dependence, lowliness, simplicity, obedience, and a willingness to love and be loved.  Thus "little ones" become those who will grow in faith, the flock of the Church for which these disciples will become responsible stewards.

"Take heed to yourselves.  If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.  And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."  Seven is a number of fullness, meant to indicate an unlimited amount.  Let us note that Luke includes the important acknowledgement of wrongdoing, "I repent."  This is reconciliation, maintaining a family unity in the Church.  In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus gives a formula for mutual correction (Matthew 18:15-20).  

And the apostles said to the Lord, "Increase our faith."  So the Lord said, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you."  My study Bible tells us that the mulberry tree is symbolic of the devil's works.  This is because silkworms feed on the leaves of the mulberry tree, and worms are an image of hell (Mark 9:42-48).  It notes that this patristic interpretation is confirmed by many scriptural images of evil being destroyed in the sea (Luke 8:33; Exodus 14:27; Matthew 21:21; Revelation 20:10).  

"And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and sit down to eat'?  But will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink'?  Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him?  I think not."  My study Bible comments that the servant plowing is mentioned first and the one tending sheep second, which shows that one must first work out one's own salvation (Philippians 2:12) before one can become a shepherd of others.  Thus, it becomes an important instruction to these future leaders of the Church.

"So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, 'We are unprofitable servants.  We have done what was our duty to do.'"  My study Bible says that this word translated as unprofitable literally means "without merit" in Greek.  Ultimately, its meaning is to say they are useless, unneeded because unhelpful.  But my study Bible is quick to point out that this does not mean they are without intrinsic value.  The emphasis is on participation in this life of the Kingdom.  My study Bible explains that it means that everything we have comes from God and is owed back to God.  There is nothing we can offer to God that does not already belong to God.  See Psalm 50.

In today's reading, the apostles demand of Jesus, "Increase our faith."  He tells them in response, "If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, 'Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,' and it would obey you."  Now both the demand and the response are interesting.  The first is interesting because the disciples demand of Christ to increase their faith because He's given them this difficult command about forgiveness in the first verses of today's reading.  He warns them about offenses to the "little ones" of the flock, and the dire consequences to those who harm these little ones.  But then He speaks about offenses within their community.  A sin against oneself may be met by a rebuke, but if repentance comes, forgiveness is commanded.  This is not an if/and/but/or statement; there is no doubt what Jesus is commanding here.  He makes this exaggerated to make a point:  "And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, 'I repent,' you shall forgive him."   It is to this statement that they respond with a demand to increase their faith, and then Jesus teaches them the power of just a little faith, akin to a tiny mustard seed -- and that the power of this tiny level of faith is such that a mulberry tree -- a symbolic image of feeding death and evil -- may cast itself into the sea by its roots at one's command.   Effectively, Jesus makes the connection between the right-relatedness of those within the Church, through correction and forgiveness, and faith that has the power to defy the darkness and death of evil.  Now that is a powerful statement about what the Church can be, about what it means to be reconciled to one another, about what impact our faith can have when we put the things into practice that Christ teaches us.  Imagine what it means to be reconciled to one another and really form the Body of Christ between brothers and sisters who can recognize an offense, correct, repent, and forgive.  This must certainly be the picture of what good relationships are within the Church, but more importantly, what it means to build the Kingdom -- and the power of faith -- here in this world.  Imagine if we all worked to make our parishes such a model of relatedness to one another, to building faith, and to the power of that faith against the forces of death in this world, the things that are destructive in nature, the things that do not nurture life, and cause suffering.  So, ultimately, we can take today's reading and find this crucial, important, central message upon which so much else hinges:  how do we, as "profitable" servants, take it seriously that we seek to build right-relatedness in this world in all that we say and do?  How do we take responsibility to serve Christ in this sense, simply that we seek to do our part to be in the type of communion with others that He says we should?  That is, we care for the little ones, we acknowledge our own faults and repent them, and we're also willing to call out an offense when it occurs to us.  This latter can be a hard thing to do, especially when we think that things will be better if we let something pass, or it's just easier to go gossip or complain about it to someone else.  What we should not forget about is the role of faith in all of this, and that when relationships become tricky and difficult we can always take it to prayer to find our way to negotiate through it.  Perhaps we have a pastor or other person we trust to confide in, or perhaps we simply need to leave it to God and see how things progress.  But right-relatedness, in Christ's sight, is clearly presented here as powerful, and as building up the faith that brings life into this world, and counters the forces which deaden and corrupt.  How do we build this Church?  How do we build this Body of Christ?  Sometimes there will be those whom we simply have to let go, which we also read about in the Scriptures (Matthew 18:17, 1 Corinthians 5:5).  But our work is to follow the Master in His teachings, to build the faith through the practices He gives us.  For if we don't live our faith, we are indeed useless servants.  Let us take these teachings as seriously as they're given to us.

 

 

Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?

 

 Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?  Up to seven times?"  Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.  Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.  And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.  But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.  The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'  Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.  But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!'  So his fellow servant fell own at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all."  And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.  So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.  Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant!  I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.  Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'  And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.  So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespass."

 

- Matthew 18:21-35 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus taught His disciples: "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven.  For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.  What do you think?  If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying?  And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.  Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.  Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.  If he hears you, you have gained your brother.  But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that 'by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.'  And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church.  But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and tax collector.  Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.  Again I say to you that if two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.  For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." 

 Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?  Up to seven times?"  Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven."  My study Bible explains that seventy times seven is an expression which is symbolic of an unlimited amount. 

"Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.  And when he had begun to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents.  But as he was not able to pay, his master commanded that he be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and that payment be made.  The servant therefore fell down before him, saying, 'Master, have patience with me, and I will pay you all.'  Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.  But that servant went out and found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and he laid hands on him and took him by the throat, saying, 'Pay me what you owe!'  So his fellow servant fell own at his feet and begged him, saying, 'Have patience with me, and I will pay you all."  And he would not, but went and threw him into prison till he should pay the debt.  So when his fellow servants saw what had been done, they were very grieved, and came and told their master all that had been done.  Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant!  I forgave you all that debt because you begged me.  Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'  And his master was angry, and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him.  So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespass."  This parable is an illustration of the need for unlimited forgiveness, my study Bible explains.  Ten thousand talents is an extraordinarily impossible sum, as it is more than a laborer could earn in several lifetimes.  A "talent" (Greek talanton/τάλαντον) was a weight value which measured precious metal such as gold or silver.  A hundred denarii, according to my study Bible, was worth about three months wages, and so is still large sum.  But it's a pittance when compared to the debt owed the king.  My study Bible comments that God not only stays the punishment we deserve, but forgives us the entire debt as well.  Because God forgives us, it says, we in turn are required to grant the gift of forgiveness to others.  There is also a spiritual interpretation given to the punishment in patristic commentary.  In this understanding, the man represents the soul, the wife represents the body, and the children represent a person's deeds.  So, the body and the deeds are given over to slavery -- that is, to Satan -- so that the soul might possibly be saved (see 1 Corinthians 5:5).  

In today's parable, Jesus seems to describe a system (if you will) that promises to return to us the same type of treatment we give to others, but this return comes in a spiritual sense.  It is, in that sense, a parable that serves to enforce the logic of what is called the Golden Rule, found in Luke 6:31, in which Jesus teaches that "just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise."  (See this teaching in context at Luke 6:27-31.)  In the Sermon on the Mount it is found at Matthew 7:12, in which Jesus teaches, "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets" (see in context, Matthew 7:7-12).  But the parable also gives us an added window onto the understanding of the Golden Rule, and that is the measure of forgiveness that God extends to us.  This becomes the basis and the foundation for the understanding of our places in the world, in relationship to others.  Jesus explicitly lays this down as the foundation for understanding how forgiveness must work in our worldly lives, because we are already forgiven so much by God:  therefore the parable is also an illustration of what Jesus calls the Greatest Commandments.  In chapter 22, Jesus is asked what is the greatest commandment in the Law, and He replies, "'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.'  This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'  On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets" (see Matthew 22:36-40).  Once again, we see the pattern taught in the parable:  we begin with our relationship to God, and we must extend within that context our relationship to neighbor.  So when we think of forgiveness, we take our minds from a purely worldly focus on vengeance or even restitution, and take it to a spiritual level in expanding it to the economy of God and our place in God's creation.  We consider how much we are forgiven by the One who holds all things, and it is within that context that we extend forgiveness.  Let us with all appropriate hastiness understand that the things which come to us in life also come from God.  It is a sense in which God is the ultimate "Banker" who holds or controls the wealth of all things; our willingness to forgive is a commitment to God and we expect that it is God who will repay or amend or heal the hurts and trespasses and deficits in our lives caused by harm done to us by others.  Let us also keep in mind that Jesus' parable is told in response to Peter's question, which comes after Jesus has set out a pattern for discipline and mutual correction in the Church (see yesterday's reading, above).  In that pattern, a sin is acknowledged, either in private or in the context of community.  But we often grapple with things we feel have harmed us, or what we believe others should owe to us, which go unacknowledged and unrepented.   And yet, within that context also, Jesus' parable is something to keep in mind, for it remains a kind of understanding of the Golden Rule.  It remains also within the context of the Old Testament and God's word in Moses' Song from Deuteronomy:  "Vengeance is Mine, and recompense" (Deuteronomy 32:35; see in context:  Deuteronomy 32).  St. Paul quotes the same in Romans 12:18-20, a teaching against vengeance and urging effort at a peaceful life.  Let us note closely that in St. Paul's teaching, justice is not neglected either.  We are reliant upon the One who is able to recompense and who forgives us in an inestimable degree in the first place.  Therefore we turn to God first in order to seek a way through life's hurts and difficulties.  The cruel harshness of the unforgiving servant of the parable results only in reaping the same results for himself.  Let us note also that Christ's teaching on forgiveness does not leave out justice; He does not neglect a need for acknowledgment of sin and harm.  But God is our ultimate ground for being and for understanding our places in the world and in creation.  We must keep in mind these teachings as we negotiate our lives through what often feels like a battleground or minefield.  In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus teaches us to pray, "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors" (Matthew 6:12) and He adds at the end of the prayer, "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.  But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (Matthew 6:14); see in context Matthew 6:8-14.  We are always given teachings about forgiveness in the context of God's forgiveness first, and God's economy of creation.  Jesus teaches us the understanding that our relationships with others fall within the context of our relationship with God; even the "debts" we feel that others have caused us fall within the context of God's purview to recompense and heal for us, so we go to prayer to find good resolution for how to conduct ourselves in response to harm done to us.  Let us consider the things we feel are owed to us, and the significant debt we may incur ourselves without God's guidance for our lives.