Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?

 

 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 will 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, after taking a little child before Him and pointing to him as the model for discipleship, 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 will 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."  We must note that Jesus' parable in today's reading comes in response to St. Peter's question about how many times he should forgive a brother in the Church (see yesterday's reading for the context of Jesus' teaching on mutual correction in the Church, above; verses 15-20).   My study Bible explains that seventy times seven is symbolic of an unlimited amount.  It says that the parable illustrates the need for unlimited forgiveness.  A talent was a weight for precious metal, silver or gold.  A single talent was equivalent to 15 - 20 years of a working person's salary.  Ten thousand talents, therefore, is a virtually impossible sum.  It's more than any laborer could earn in several lifetimes.  By comparison, a hundred denarii (about three months' wages) is a significant amount from an earthly perspective, but it's tiny compared to the debt that was owed the king.  My study Bible comments that God stays the punishment we deserve, but forgives us the entire debt as well.  Because God forgives us, we in turn are required to grant the gift of forgiveness to others.  Additionally, there are certain patristic teachers who give a spiritual interpretation to the punishment described in the final verse of today's reading.  In this understanding, the man represents the soul, the wife represents the body, and the children represent a person's deeds.  Therefore, in this perspective, 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 yesterday's commentary, we discussed forgiveness in the context of Christ's teaching on mutual correction in the Church, and His parable of the lost sheep (see above).  In that parable, it was clear that for God, even one stray sheep out of one hundred was worth every extra effort to find and to retrieve back to the fold.  And so, in today's reading, St. Peter follows up on Jesus' teachings regarding mutual correction by asking a reasonable question.  How many times should this process take place?  If you go through difficulties with a person once, twice, three times, or more, how many times should one forgive?  Keep in mind that in Jesus' structure of correction and forgiveness, repentance also played a role before forgiveness.  This is not a "Get out of jail free" type of system.  It is not simply a means by which abusive or sinning behavior may continue without consequences.  (Indeed, Christ's final instructions in this system of correction were, "But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector").  So this is a system of dialogue in an expanding circle to finally include the whole Church where the original one who sinned against another refuses to hear, or not.  But St. Peter wants to know more.  "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?  Up to seven times?"  There must be a reasonable tenure to this process.  But Jesus' answer sets us in a place where we're asked (as is so often the case) to see things from a much bigger perspective than our own.  For this correcting (and healing) process is to take place not from the perspective of simply establishing good or colloquial relations, and not simply from our perspective as earthly individuals in a community.  This community expands far beyond simply our Church, in the sense that the Church is always in the context of God's salvation plan for all things.  For we cannot separate the Church into atomized pieces, nor can we distance the Church into some abstract organization outside of its establishment and purposes.  The Church, in the Eastern Christian tradition, has always been seen as a hospital; indeed, Christ affirms this when He calls Himself a physician ("Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance" - Matthew 9:11-13).  So, in keeping also with the parable of the lost sheep of yesterday's reading, we must keep in mind that the system of mutual correction, and Christ's answer to St. Peter's question in today's reading, are also told with this salvation plan in mind.  That is, a salvation plan "for the life of the world" (John 6:33, 51).  So, Jesus' answer to St. Peter, prescribing an infinite number of times forgiveness through such a process if necessary, is given with this infinite process of salvation in mind.  The parable reinforces this, for the impossibly infinite-like sum of money owed to the master (that is, to God), simply can't compare to anything we're asked to give -- or to "give up" as the word for forgiveness indicates.  We're also, in this parable, asked to be "like" our Master; we we are made in God's image and are to manifest our likeness in our own conduct (Genesis 1:26).  Moreover, as the parable also makes abundantly clear, there's only one Master, the ultimate authority over all of us.  The Church is the house of the Master; we are God's servants, children by adoption.  We are to be "like God," that is, the Lord, who is the author of life and of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).  To paraphrase a popular expression, "His house, His rules."  Only these rules define for us the essence of righteousness, right-relatedness, that which we also name justice.  Let us take it to heart.  Remember God's purview and aims, the salvation of all.  Let us understand the life we're given, and how we're to participate in the place God gives us, for the life and salvation of the world.

 

 

 

 

Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?

 

 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 continued to teach the disciples about what it will mean in His Church to be truly great, and to possess authority.  He said, "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."  Seventy times seven, according to my study Bible, is symbolic of an unlimited amount.  This parable, it says, illustrates the need for unlimited forgiveness.  Ten thousand talents is a completely unthinkable sum; it's more than a laborer could have earned in several lifetimes.  A hundred denarii is the equivalent of about three months wages for Christ's contemporaries, a significant amount but tiny compared to the debt which was owed to the king.  My study Bible comments that God not only stays the punishment we deserve, but forgives us the entire debt as well.  So, if God forgives us, are we not in turn asked to grant the gift of forgiveness to others?  (See Matthew 6:15; Mark 11:25-26.)  There is an additional note on this parable as well, commenting on the nature of the punishment described by Jesus.  A spiritual interpretation sees it as the man representing the soul, the wife representing the body, and the children a person's deeds.  so, the body and the deeds are given over to slavery -- in other words, to Satan -- so that the soul might possibly be saved (see 1 Corinthians 5:5).  

 

Forgiveness is a hard subject.  For those of us who've been wronged in a grievous injustice -- particularly by someone we've loved -- it can become a monumental thing to figure out how to negotiate our forgiveness.  It helps to think about the Lord's Prayer, echoed in the context of today's parable, in which we pray, "Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors"  (see verse 12).  In the prayer, as in the parable, debts are equivalent to sins, and this term invites us to consider sins as those things that take something away from someone else.  Perhaps debts are things others have done for us that we don't appreciate, or they are ways we've caused harm or injury, so that we "owe" what we've taken from someone in that sense.  In this context, payment of such a debt would be fulfilling a way of making amends, restoration.  In the 8th and 9th steps of the Twelve Steps, we find that a therapeutic program for health involves taking stock of such things, and doing our best to "repay" by making amends when possible and in ways that don't cause additional harm.  Perhaps a memorable story of the Bible for making amends is the story of Zacchaeus, who restored fourfold anything he had taken by false accusation in his position as chief tax collection.  This is restoration in line with Biblical directives.  But what of forgiveness?  Suppose no restitution or restoration comes?  How do we forgive -- let go -- of a debt when someone has done us harm?  How do we let go of the things we've done for others which go unappreciated or unnoticed?  These things become essential -- as they are in today's reading -- in community, but in particular in the community constituted by Christ, where God (and Christ as Lord and Judge) become the ultimate arbiters of all things.  When we cannot reconcile a debt easily between ourselves and other persons, we can take our forgiveness of debt to the Lord.  For the Lord will "collect" in His own way, in His own time, and with His own justice, which is far superior to ours.  In turn, this sets us free to begin to live in communion with Him, for He is the true restorer of all things, the only One who truly makes all things new (Isaiah 65:17; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Revelation 21:1).  He is the only One who can create something out of nothing, for only god has such creative power.  Therefore when we hand our "debts" over to Him, rather than collecting ourselves in whatever way we imagine we might, we make a kind of bargain in which all bets are off, and things suddenly become possible that were impossible, and we are set free to find God's way forward in our lives, instead of waiting to "collect" on people who won't or can't pay.  We become God's children, in giving up the things that expect an earthly reward which isn't forthcoming, and release ourselves to God's way through life instead.  In the context of the parable, we must notice the immeasurable amount of debt owed to the king, and such is our debt to God who loves us and seeks our love in return despite our uncountable sins in disregard of God's word and desires for us.  And each time we return, as one of His sheep, all is forgiven (see the parable of the Prodigal Son).  In our restoration to God and God's communion, God's love is ours regardless of how we have sinned.  Indeed, it is in God's unfailing love that we learn to repent and replace what we've lost in life with His grace.  Looking closely at our recent readings, we find that St. Peter's question to Jesus comes in the context of Christ's prescription for correction within the Church community, and after the one who has sinned has acknowledged what he's done, and so reconciliation becomes possible (see Christ's prescription for mutual correction in the Church in yesterday's reading, above).  Unfortunately, acknowledgement is not always the case.  And yet, in cases where there is no acknowledgement, there is still forgiveness in letting go of such debts to Christ, for it is in Christ that all things are reconciled (Colossians 1:19-20).  Perhaps we would do well to notice that God forgives things that are great, while we are asked to forgive that which is small.  Let us leave our "debts" in God's hands, for God's grace is unlimited, and freely given.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him

 

 Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately.  Therefore He said:  "A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.  So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, 'Do business until I come.'  But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We will not have this man to reign over us.'  And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.  Then came the first, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned ten minas.'  And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.'  And the second came, saying, "Master, your mina has earned five minas.'  Likewise he said to him, 'You also be over five cities.'  Then another came, saying, 'Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief.  For I feared you, because you are an austere man.  You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.'  And he said to him, 'Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant.  You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow.  Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?'  And he said to those who stood by, 'Take the mina from him, and give it to him who has ten minas.'  (But they said to him, 'Master, he has ten minas.')  For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.  But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.'"

 

- Luke 19:11-27 

 

Yesterday we read that, going on the road toward Jerusalem, Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.  Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.  And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature.  So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way.  And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house."  So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully.  But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, "He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner."  Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I give half my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold."  And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

 

 Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately.  Therefore He said:  "A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.  So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, 'Do business until I come.'  But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We will not have this man to reign over us.'  And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.  Then came the first, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned ten minas.'  And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.'  And the second came, saying, "Master, your mina has earned five minas.'  Likewise he said to him, 'You also be over five cities.'  Then another came, saying, 'Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief.  For I feared you, because you are an austere man.  You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.'  And he said to him, 'Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant.  You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow.  Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?'  And he said to those who stood by, 'Take the mina from him, and give it to him who has ten minas.'  (But they said to him, 'Master, he has ten minas.')  For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.  But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.'"  In St. Matthew's Gospel, Jesus tells a similar parable, but using talents (a much larger currency) rather than minas.  Both talents and minas were weight measures for silver or gold, and this is the way that currency was calculated in the ancient world.  A talent in Christ's time was worth twenty years' work by a laborer.  A mina was worth less than a talent, but it was still a considerable sum.  According to one estimate, one mina at Christ's time was worth approximately one fourth of a year's wages for an agricultural worker.  My study Bible comments that the parable illustrates the use of gifts given by God.  Each single sum of money represents the goodness bestowed by God on each person.  The amount each receives is based on that person's abilities, my study Bible says (Romans 12:4-7).  The wicked servant could not evade responsibility for ignoring his talent; my study Bible says that idleness is as much a rejection of God as outright wickedness.  To put the money in a handkerchief is symbolic of burial in the ground (a 'handkerchief' being suggestive of a burial shroud) is symbolic of using one's God-given gifts for earthly pursuits, without spiritual value.  The bank is the Church, where there are other faithful people to whom this man could have turned to help him invest his capabilities wisely.  Since help was available to him there, he has no excuse.  

 

As Jesus and the disciples travel toward Jerusalem, Jesus prepares them with this parable.  It's important to note that what the text tells us here is that they all expected the kingdom of God to appear immediately.   One thing is clear that Jesus teaches in this parable is that something is being invested in them, in preparation for the future which they will have a stake in.  The rewards of the future -- those things the king will give as rewards -- will depend upon the work that is done while the king is away.  That is, the question becomes, what will be produced as profit by those to whom the nobleman has entrusted his money?  Jesus Himself, after His Passion and Resurrection, will be going to a far country in order to receive a kingdom, and return.  Not only that, but there will be a judgment, a reckoning that happens when the nobleman returns.  Even those who are his good servants will receive a reward commensurate with what they have earned for him while he is gone away, and has left his gifts in their charge.  For the one who spends his life only in fear of the nobleman, assuming the worst, there will be a reward commensurate with his negative expectations.  Jesus explains the rationale to the reward:  "For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.  But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me."  The ones who have rejected Him are outright excluded from this Kingdom, and will not inherit the eternal life of its promise.  Today's parable invites us to think about what talents and resources we're given, and what we plan or seek to do with them during the times of our lives -- before Christ's kingdom, and judgment, arrives.  It's interesting to look at the language in the parable.  In the Greek of the text, the man who makes ten minas is said to have "begotten" them in some sense, while the one with five "made" them.  The man with ten is given authority, but the Greek word translated as such also contains the meanings of worth and value.  The man with five minas is put "over" five cities.  All told, there are several layers to this parable, layers of meaning in terms of how faithful each was, what they created and did not create, and then again, those who rejected the nobleman as king.  It tells us a story about merit, faith, a depth of effort and commitment, those who care, and those who don't.  The man who, out of fear, simply hid his mina, wound up with less than that, with nothing.  But even the man with ten minas is said by the master to have been faithful "in a very little" -- but in the Greek this word corresponds to the "least" he could do.  All in all, results are exacting, and not at all concerned with equality of outcomes, but rather each person's use of their faith and their efforts in serving the master.  And, as Jesus tells us, "For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him."  As for those who reject his rule even before He journeys away for a time, John's Gospel tells us they have already rejected life in that Kingdom (John 3:18).

  

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. 

I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven

 

 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:  "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 comments here that the phrase "seventy times seven" is a symbol of an unlimited amount.  The parable is an illustration of the need for unlimited forgiveness, and we must note, is given within the context of the teaching from yesterday's reading about discipline and repentance within the Church (see above).  Ten thousand talents, my study Bible adds, is an imposible sum.  It was more than a laborer could earn in several lifetimes.  A hundred denarii is a significant amount from an earthly perspective (about three months' wages), but it is a tiny amount in comparison to the debt which is owed to the king.  My study Bible comments that God not only stays the punishment we deserve, but forgives us the entire debt as well.  As God forgives us, we in turn are required to grant the gift of forgiveness to others ("Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors" - Matthew 6:12).  As to the punishment described here, there are certain patristic interpretations which my study Bible cites.   In this understanding, the man represents the soul, the wife represents the body, and the children represent a person's deeds.  Therefore the body and deeds are given over to slavery -- that is to Satan -- so that the soul might possibly be saved (see 1 Corinthians 5:5 in context). 

In a modern context, it is not always easy to understand forgiveness.  If forgiveness is expected to be extended, then why does sin matter?  If we are expected to forgive all, then why does God count sin as important?  All of these questions arise out of a misunderstanding of forgiveness in the context of God as Judge.  In the Lord's Prayer (see Matthew 6:9-15), Jesus speaks of sin as "debts."  In a remark immediately following, He speaks in terms of "trespasses."  Debts and trespasses give us two images of sin.  A debt is something that is owed to us, and suggests that something belonging rightfully to us has been taken away.  What can be taken away by others sinning against us?  There can be a sense of honor that has been stripped away by someone's bad act, a kind of injustice rendered that takes justice away from us.  Possibly we have been harmed in some sense, abused, or stolen from, both literally and figuratively.  To trespass is to cross a rightful boundary, to have been violated in some sense, improper conduct once again taking away what rightfully belongs to us, even honor or nominal respect for the integrity of another human being.  Modern psychology frequently speaks of boundary violations in order to characterize abuse of one sort or another, or one degree or another.  But in Jesus' way of thinking, to forgive is literally to "let go," using precisely the same language a banker would use of debts.  Therefore, we "let" and "forgive" to the ultimate Banker who is God, and leave justice and especially vengeance to God (Deuteronomy 32:35, Romans 12:19).  In so doing, we are seeking God's way to walk through the world, and to live the best way we can in context with our experience, even that which has been harmful.  It does not mean necessarily reconciliation with those who would continue to harm, but it does mean "giving up" to God our hurts and debts, so that God may lead us in life.  In today's reading, Peter is asking about forgiveness of a brother within the life of a Church, and it has already been given (in yesterday's reading, above) that this brother has repented within the framework of the Church community, either privately or within a wider scale of the Church.  So, when Peter poses this question, he's asking about the process of reconciliation for community that Jesus has outlined -- and Christ's answer is that the peace of His community must be eternal, forgiveness unlimited.  The parable itself teaches us about God's forgiveness of our many sins, and expresses the notion that we should be aware of this love as the foundation within which we're taught to forgive.  It is, to my way understanding, not an erasure of awareness of debt or trespass.  Rather within the context of recognition of debt we are asked to forgive for the sake of peace and of reconciliation.  It is an understanding of what is called "economia" (οικονόμια), which means basically "proper management," or good and prudent handling of a matter.  The Greek word is related, appropriately, to the word for "steward" (economos/οἰκονόμος).  It indicates an understanding that in practice mercy and forgiveness form a cohesion for community, as opposed to strictly the letter of the law.  It is an extension of the Christ's statement that "the Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath" (Mark 2:27).  It teaches us that, in practice, the salvation of human souls and human lives, and the creation of real community, is a hands-on effort, so to speak.  That is, it is not an abstract principle or rule that suffices, but rather the practice that must bring about a good result, the healing of lives and community, good spiritual fruits in terms of quality of life.  This is why mercy and forgiveness are so important, because without them, nothing will actually work well in the fullness of real lives and living community.  There must be a recognition that God's ultimate concern is in the fullness of life and spiritual fruit, the Kingdom that dwells among us.  So we both acknowledge the truth of trespass and debt, and we also practice forgiveness.  We seek a way to make this work, not simply a process for assigning blame or pointing fingers.  While we bear a little shame (in a phrase oft-used by Fr. Stephen Freeman on his blog to which I link) in terms of acknowledging our fault, and also in forgiving the one who sinned, we gain community in the context of communion with God and neighbor in the Church.  This seems nearly impossible in terms of the whole overwhelming notion of a perfect community, but it does work therapeutically as guideline for how we as believers live our lives and heal from hurt and trauma.  If we can bear in mind that it was Christ who truly took on our pain and suffering, and God who takes on the debts, then we can find relief in the sense that we are both heard and able to move on.  Moreover, we can find the same forgiveness and freedom in the context of our own errors, debts, and trespasses.  But we must be willing to come to the table of communion, where the understanding of the love of God begins, the perspective of Christ's teaching of love of God and love of neighbor, for it only works within that foundation, and in light of Christ's own unfathomable expression of love for us first, and His willingness to suffer for that love.

For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him

 

 Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately.  Therefore He said:  "A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.  So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, 'Do business till I come.'  But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We will not have this man to reign over us.'  And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.  Then came the first, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned ten minas.'  And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.'   And the second came, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned five minas.'  Likewise he said to him, 'You also be over five cities.'  Then another came, saying, 'Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief.  For I feared you, because you are an austere man.  You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.'   And he said to him, 'Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant.  You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow.  Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?'  And he said to those who stood by, 'Take the mina from him, and give it to him who has ten minas.'  (But they said to him, 'Master, he has ten minas.')  For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.  But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.'"

 

- Luke 19:11–27 

 

Yesterday we read that Jesus entered and passed through Jericho, on His way toward Jerusalem.  Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.  And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature.  So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way.  And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and saw him, and said to him, "Zacchaeus, make haste and come down, for today I must stay at your house."  So he made haste and came down, and received Him joyfully.  But when they saw it, they all complained, saying, "He has gone to be a guest with a man who is a sinner."  Then Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor, and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold."  And Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost."

 

  Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately.  Let us first observe that the parable given in today's reading is given in response to the disciples' understanding that the kingdom of God would appear immediately as Jesus would enter Jerusalem.  So the parable is meant to illustrate this time in which we await Christ's second coming.

Therefore He said:  "A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.  So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, 'Do business till I come.'  But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, 'We will not have this man to reign over us.'  And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading."  This parable (similarly to the parable given in Matthew 25:14-30, in which the sums given are talents, the name of a large currency) is meant to illustrate the use of gifts which are given to us by God.  A mina was a unit of currency worth about one sixth of a talent, still a large sum of money.  My study bible says this money (or rather a unit of weight of precious metal) represents the goodness God has bestowed on each person.  According to Wikipedia, one mina would have been equivalent to the purchasing power of the wages of a worker for one quarter of a year.

"And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.  Then came the first, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned ten minas.'  And he said to him, 'Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.'   And the second came, saying, 'Master, your mina has earned five minas.'  Likewise he said to him, 'You also be over five cities.'  Then another came, saying, 'Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief.  For I feared you, because you are an austere man.  You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.'   And he said to him, 'Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant.  You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow.  Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?'  And he said to those who stood by, 'Take the mina from him, and give it to him who has ten minas.'  (But they said to him, 'Master, he has ten minas.')  For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.  But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.'"   My study Bible says that the wicked servant could not evade responsibility for ignoring the gift of the mina given to him, as idleness is as much a rejection of God as outright wickedness.  To put away the mina in a handkerchief symbolizes using one's gifts for earthly purposes:  the word for handkerchief, in the context of the time, was used either for wiping fluids such as persperation for the body, or even more to the point, it meant a death shroud for burial.  The bankers, my study Bible says, represent other faithful people to whom the man could have turned to help him use his gift wisely.  Since help was available to him in the Church, this man doesn't have an excuse.

When Jesus tells this story in Matthew's Gospel, He uses the currency of talents, which was a larger sum than the mina.  (This does not change the meaning of the story, however.)  But it is from this story that we get the current popular meaning of the word "talent" in English.  The gifts of God include all the capacities we have, whatever their nature.  That would include our energy, capacity for work, for thinking, creativity, and an unnamable number of additional capabilities.  The story clearly sets out our personalities and aspects of our talents as gifts.   That is, gifts which are given from God.  A good servant would be a disciple of Christ, who uses their lives and individual unique abilities for the kingdom of God, in pursuit of their faith.  Recently I read of a woman, Ann Russell Miller, who led a rather remarkable life.  When she was young, she wanted to be a Roman Catholic nun.  But she fell in love with a man and was married.  He became the Vice President of Pacific Gas & Electric Company, a public utility that served the state of California.  She had ten children, was a socialite known for her entertainment skills, many friends, and philanthropy.  She also smoked, drank, and played cards.  But after her husband died, she realized her ambition to become a nun.  After giving away all of her possessions, she became a cloistered nun, known as Sister Mary Joseph.  She is quoted as saying that she had devoted her first 30 years of life to herself, the second 30 to her children and that the last third of her life would be dedicated to God.  But I would venture to say that such a life is possible to have been lived faithfully all along, with each season of life devoted to that which she felt God had guided her at that time.  It is but one example of the power of life and the gifts that we're given.  The variety and uniqueness of her life is a statement about the variety of gifts and uniqueness of each life.   Although in some ways one could call her life conventional, in other ways it certainly was not, and is stamped with the uniqueness of conviction to live with the fullness of capacities God had given her, whether that was to bear and raise children, to support others with philanthropy, and I would say even a life in which her many friends played a role.  I can't venture to know all of her personal motivations, but it would seem to me that each life must be carved out in the unique way one is led to use talents and capacities through faith, regardless of what that looks like.  This woman does not strike me as having buried her talent or "mina" in a handkerchief, a slave to the world and to convention or selfish materialism.  The saints that we know in the Church are each unique, with great potency of personality, and the expression of faith as borne out in their lives, and this is something important to remember.  To pursue a life of holiness is all about allowing God to help us understand how to express our faith in ways pleasing to God, and that simply won't look identical for every person, but will be a path that is meant to teach that the uniqueness with which our Creator has endowed us is meant for expression of our love of God in the world.   Ann Russell Miller became Sister Mary Joseph in one of the strictest cloistered monasteries, with very little contact with the outside world.  On the other hand, I offer the example of the various podcasts and internet posts of Sister Vassa, an Orthodox nun found at this site.   Although having been a committed nun from a very young age, Sister Vassa reaches out to the world through modern media, and expresses her faith in this way.  She also shows us the uniqueness of persona and a life lived in commitment and expression of her faith to the world in ways that benefit others.  I might offer one more unique life of a woman whom I know in Athens, Greece, who serves as the custodian of a tiny ancient church in the center of the metropolis.  She's an extremely humble person, but thousands of people come to her and speak of their lives and their unique problems.  She offers each a space of sanctuary, prayer, and seems to know each one personally, with a great gift of love and consoling.  As Sister Mary Joseph, the former Ann Russell Miller prays for the world inside the sanctuary of the monastery; Sister Vassa lives a life of prayer, and also uses her unique position to help teach others about prayer.  My friend whom I shall not publicize sits through all the prayers and hears the problems and circumstances of so many who come to pray and find sanctuary and faith in the tiny but powerful church, and her heart offers wisdom.  These are just three examples of lives lived in pursuit of faith and the use of capacities and talents in service of that faith, and each woman is striking for her uniqueness and individuality in doing so.  Let us contrast the mina hidden in a "handkerchief" in the parable -- possibly meaning a shroud covering one who has died -- with the vibrant, expressive, and creative variety of the  lives of these women who serve as but two examples of those who lived in ways that expressed their faith.  It remains my observation that the energy which God gives us in faith serves as a kind of light of uniqueness, each set of potential "talents" having its own expression that lights up the world with color and variety and intelligence.  Let us remember our own capacity for love will also be expressed in unique ways as given by God and is part of a "talent set."  Let us consider what it means to be a good servant, each in our own way with what we've been given.

You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me

 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

Yesterday we read that Jesus taught:  "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 or 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."   Seventy times seven, my study bible says, is symbolic of an unlimited amount.  The parable that follows illustrates the need for unlimited forgiveness.

"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."   Ten thousand talents is an extraordinary amount of money, and we should understand it as one impossible for a laborer to pay, even if he could earn money over several lifetimes.  A talent was a certain weight of mineral, gold or silver.  It was also a measure of wealth, about 57 pounds worth of pure silver.  A single talent could equal many years of one laborer's work.   There is a spiritual interpretation also offered by some patristic writers to the punishment described here.  My study bible describes it as follows:  the man represents the soul, the wife represents the body, and the children represent the deeds of a person.  In this sense of understanding, 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).

"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."   The hundred denarii owed to the wicked servant is a significant amount (about three months' wages, according to my study bible).  But it's tiny compared to the original debt of ten thousand talents that was forgiven buy the king  (one talent equaled about 6,000 denarii).   My study bible comments that God not only stays the punishment that we deserve, but forgives us the entire debt as well.  As God forgives us, we in turn are required to grant that gift to others (Matthew 6:12, 15).

It's interesting to note how Jesus rather subtly acknowledges the injustice of mammon in today's reading and especially in the parable that He gives.  Using figuratively the images of money owed by various servants, the parable teaches us something about the world in which Jesus lived.  But His real point here is not about the injustice of mammon.  It is rather about how we, as Christians, must live by a different set of rules in relation to our Creator and our brothers and sisters (as Jesus has been speaking to the disciples in the context of the community of the Church).  In a sense, He is using images of wealth and money in order to illustrate how those "rules" of mammon (including a reference to selling and a form of enslavement) do not apply to us as Christians; that is, we are to live by a different code of values.   Our values include something that doesn't make sense except in a rather more sophisticated idea about commerce -- the forgiveness of debt.  What is a debt?  It's something that someone owes us.  When we think about the ways in which others might owe us, due to offenses committed in some way, we might need to wrap our minds about what we think has been taken away from us through such offense.  When a very serious offense like child abuse is committed, we often say it has the effect of stealing a child's innocence (and by the way this may be true no matter what type of abuse we're talking about).  It may leave lasting psychic scars, in fact frequently becoming more potent as time goes on and into the latest stage of life.  I might add that I saw this happen to my own grandmother, a survivor of the Armenian Genocide, whose traumatic early experiences really came to impact her after she was in her late 70s.  This is a spiritual debt caused by violence, another possible character trait of what we'll call mammon.  How was my grandmother to forgive those who had tortured her father to death while she was forced to watch, who caused her mother's child to be stillborn and mother to die of typhus, or those who systematically exterminated her people?  We might find it hard to imagine such trauma as forgivable and even survivable -- and yet it was so for her entire generation of children.  In this sense, we must take what Jesus says and understand forgiveness as something very simple:  by "giving up" a debt we give it up to God, especially in the prayer to Our Father, also known as the Lord's Prayer.  This is one reason why it is so important to pray this prayer daily.  To forgive a debt (or to "let go" as the original Greek word means) does not mean we deny that injustice has happened.  It is the furthest thing from denying the long lasting effects of such debts.  In fact, it is in the process of acknowledging and "giving up" the debt to God that we might find hope to come to terms with truly facing the effects of what has happened to us.  To give up harm and trauma to God is not to deny it, but rather it is just the opposite.  It is putting something nearly impossible for us to deal with on our own in a good and helpful way into the hands of God to heal, guide, and avenge, rather than ourselves.  It is asking God to guide us in our response to the debt owed to us, and to the best ways for us to heal and live "whole" lives, freed from what has in some way diminished us and taken something away from us.  It is a plea to be freed of the longterm cage of rage and grief.  This is the real power of forgiveness.  It is a response in the place of the limited prison of personal vengeance.  "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord.  The violence of the wicked servant upon the one who owes him less money than he owed to the king is an illustration of the unjust thinking of sheer vengeance and its impact on the community overall.  In giving up our debts to God, we do not give up all recourse to justice.  We simply ask God to handle it, and to give us guidance for the best way to proceed in life.  That entails an extremely pragmatic way of looking at the world and our options, and also the possibilities God offers us in creating and shaping our lives in the face of injustice and long-lasting trauma.  It is liberation into the place of possibility, a realistic reckoning of what might be best for us and for those whom we love including in our community, and it is also a way to ask God for what it is we truly need.  It is a way to ask God to help us with the blindness of our own rage and anger, and to ask for constructive healthful solutions.  In short, forgiving a debt is liberation for our souls, and it is also something we work at daily.  In the Lord's Prayer, we are taught to pray daily for the daily bread of the life of God, and therefore the prayer to both forgive and to be forgiven is indicated as a daily activity, sometimes much more than once a day depending on our deepest need.  Let us not forget that Christ does not refuse our debts, nor does He refuse to acknowledge our hurts and injustice committed against us.  In fact, this parable declares the opposite.  He is simply giving us, yet again, a way through this world dominated by mammon, and a sense of what we ourselves can be when we participate instead in the life He offers us, and with His rules that defy mammon -- that even turned the injustice of the Cross into liberation and salvation for the whole world, and for all of us who would come to Him in faith.  Let us be aware of the daily help we need and where it might lead us; let us remember why we always need to pray.  It is easy to overlook how much we ourselves need to be forgiven, even for things we've done that we did not understand.  There are all kinds of ways in which we may hurt others without being aware of it.  Our prayer is for our own debts to be forgiven, as we forgive others.  The release from the hardship of mammon therefore is total.  Let us remember that even in business, debts that cannot be recouped are forgiven.  So much of what we go through cannot be restored to us in a material or worldly sense.  That is yet one other way we need to participate in the life of Christ to recognize our true potential, and where it lives.

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 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

 Over the past couple of readings, Jesus has been responding to the question from the disciples, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" (see Wednesday's reading).  In yesterday's reading, Jesus told 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 who 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."   In yesterday's reading, Jesus gave instructions for mutual correction in the Church, teaching that first corrections should be made in private.  Peter then asks about forgiveness within this process.  Seventy times seven is a symbol 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 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 that ten thousand talents is an impossible sum.  It is more than a laborer could earn in several lifetimes.  A hundred denarii is a significant amount from an earthly perspective (it is about three months' wages), but it's a pittance compared to the debt that is owed the king in this parable.  There is a spiritual interpretation to the parable also offered by some patristic writers.  Regarding the punishment described, the man represents the soul, the wife represents the body, and children represent a person's works.  So, the body and deeds are given over to slavery (or Satan) -- that is, excommunication to a worldly life without protection of Christ -- so that the soul might possibly be saved through repentance (see 1 Corinthians 5:5).  The point of this parable is to teach that God not only stays the punishment that we deserve, but forgives the entire debt in addition.  As God forgives us, so we are asked to grant the gift of forgiveness to others.

Let us consider repentance and what it means.  Sometimes it is only after going through hard times that a person begins to consider others and have sympathy or understanding for them.  Our culture values winning and success.  It really doesn't matter what end of the political spectrum or which social group one belongs to or values one espouses -- success within the eyes of a community becomes an important and coveted currency.  Experience teaches us that people will do all kinds of things, for all kinds of reasons, to gain such approval or success in the eyes of community.  And therein is the heart of Christ's message, it seems to me.  The Pharisees were the religious leaders of their time, and also perhaps the most righteous among the leadership.  Their code was fairly strict, and they held themselves to such high conduct.  But they are the ones who clash with Jesus.  Their self-righteousness and need for leadership position -- the regulatory role of the faith -- overcomes their capacity to see and hear what Christ is.  Their role in the story of Christ is a cautionary tale for all of us, because it is easy to play a role rather than honestly find the humility Christ asks of us in our lives.  Failure, on the other hand, is a kind of forced humility that has as a potential benefit the reckoning with an inner truth -- that our value and worth isn't based on the opinion of the world but rather on how we stand with God and how honest we are about who we are in that secret place with our Father who sees in secret.  (Practically all of chapter 6 relates to this struggle).  When we fail, we are faced with the question of coming to terms with real identity, and not merely all the things people say about us.   In yesterday's reading, Jesus speaks of Himself as the One who comes to seek that which is lost.  It is in our times of failure that we can most readily understand we are in need of His protection and guidance.  The unforgiving tortures that the world can give us serve to create an internal demand:  we are either going to find the truth of God's love for us or surrender to that slavish reality.  Let us understand not only the love God wants to give us, but rather the love God wishes to share with us so that we, in turn, share with others.  Don't jump on the bandwagon of social self-righteousness and vilification; rather seek the truth found in the secret place, the love found in the Kingdom.  It comes with self-knowledge of our own capacity for failure in the eyes of others, and a reckoning found in the righteousness of faith.  The Cross teaches us that what is real is in the depth of the soul; truth may be something hidden from the voices that seem to shout the loudest and condemn most harshly.  When everyone else seems to shout for blood, that is the time to step back and pray.  It is the great grace of the Savior's humility that teaches us about truth and righteousness.