LORD HOW OFTEN MUST I FORGIVE
TUESDAY 3RD WEEK OF LENT: Universalis
First Reading Daniel 3:25,34-43
Let our
sacrifice to you today be a contrite soul and humbled spirit
for the sake of
your name; do not repudiate your covenant, do not withdraw your favour from us,
for the sake of Abraham, your friend, of Isaac your servant, and of Israel your
holy one, to whom you promised descendants as countless as the stars of heaven and
as the grains of sand on the seashore.
Lord, now we
are the least of all the nations, now we are despised throughout the world,
today, because of our sins. We have at this time no leader, no prophet, no
prince, no holocaust, no sacrifice, no oblation, no incense, no place where we
can offer you the first-fruits and win your favour.
But may the
contrite soul, the humbled spirit be as acceptable to you as holocausts of rams
and bullocks, as thousands of fattened lambs: such let our sacrifice be to you
today, and may it be your will that we follow you wholeheartedly, since those
who put their trust in you will not be disappointed.
And now we put
our whole heart into following you, into fearing you and seeking your face once
more. Do not disappoint us; treat us gently, as you yourself are gentle and
very merciful. Grant us
deliverance worthy of your wonderful deeds, let your name win glory, Lord.
Responsorial
Psalm: Remember your mercy, Lord.
Gospel Matthew 18:21-35 To be forgiven,
you must forgive
Peter went up to Jesus and said, ‘Lord,
how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?’
Jesus answered, ‘Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times.
‘And so the kingdom of heaven may be
compared to a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servants. When
the reckoning began, they brought him a man who owed ten thousand talents; but
he had no means of paying, so his master gave orders that he should be sold,
together with his wife and children and all his possessions, to meet the debt.
At this, the servant threw himself down at his master’s feet. “Give me time” he
said “and I will pay the whole sum.” And the servant’s master felt so sorry for
him that he let him go and cancelled the debt. Now as this servant went out, he
happened to meet a fellow servant who owed him one hundred denarii; and he seized
him by the throat and began to throttle him. “Pay what you owe me” he said. His
fellow servant fell at his feet and implored him, saying, “Give me time and I
will pay you.” But the other would not agree; on the contrary, he had him
thrown into prison till he should pay the debt. His fellow servants were deeply
distressed when they saw what had happened, and they went to their master and
reported the whole affair to him. Then the master sent for him. “You wicked
servant,” he said “I cancelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me.
Were you not bound, then, to have pity on your fellow servant just as I had
pity on you?” And in his anger the master handed him over to the torturers till
he should pay all his debt. And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with
you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.’
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