Today is the 21st Sunday after Pentecost. I will be attending the 4th National Assembly of the Filipino Clergy in America in New Jersey for a week. I am representing the Diocese of Reno, which is also part of the Clergy Continuing Education. Canon of Christ the King will be coming to celebrate mass for you. I am letting you know that I will celebrate mass on the Feast of All Saints’ Day at 6pm here at Holy Spirit Mission.
The letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians reminds them that believing in Jesus as God’s anointed one, the Lord of all, would shape or transform their lives. St. Paul says, “Put on the armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the devil.” It means that we must desperately look for this “armor” to claim our freedom from this evil disturbing us and the whole world by simply standing fast to our faith in Jesus.
Think of what is directly happening now, the conflicts around the world, especially in Israel against the terrorists called HAMAS. We should understand that the hostility is emanating from larger, darker, spiritual forces. St. Paul believes that the battle is not flesh and blood (Eph. 6:12) but dark and dangerous powers who do rule the world at the present time. Such forces of evil cannot be fought by the believers, all of us only, but can be resisted by becoming vigilant. Be faithful to God at all times, and put on armor of God to resist in the evil day…”take your helmet of salvation, and the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God.” We are followers of the Lord, who are girded in truth, faith, peace, the Spirit through the word, and in prayer for our defense and strength. Remember that our survival strategy in a hostile world is not a strategy of aggression, is not to put on our armor for aggressive action against anyone, but an armor is to empower us to withstand the evils that surround and threaten us. I am confident that our Lord Jesus Christ already conquered death for us and now rules in the heavenly places. Furthermore, this passage calls for considered, corporate resistance to evil when and wherever it is embodied in the structures of the world one lives in, through the power of God. We can confidently testify that the Lord who lives in the heavenly places has already won the battle.
The gospel today, taken from St. Matthew, is imbued with the genuine face of mercy as we remember that Peter, at one point, asked the Lord this question: “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him?” We must imitate God’s way to be kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion. How much do we realize that we are called to be forgiving and to be merciful towards others in relation to the gospel?
First, think about God’s generous attitude towards us, that is providing an avenue for healing and comfort by way of pardoning our sins through healing and redeeming action. When we know that we are forgiven, we must be grateful to God for letting us feel how much we are loved.
Second, we are all second chancers. I know that the forgiven debtor failed to realize and to understand that the king’s attitude to forgive him is his way out to be merciful to the person who owed him as well. However, it did not sink into his heart, so he continued oppressing him with an unforgiving heart. His evil heart never changed him as a person. This should not happen. When we know that the grace of forgiveness is received, we also must be dispensers of that same grace of forgiveness. Never be stingy with the goodness we have received, for it guides us to follow a better path in our life.
Third, Jesus narrates the story considerably harsh, when He tells us the king throws the unforgiving, forgiven debtor into prison until the debt is paid. This is a figurative speech. It means that if we can hardly forgive others’ sins against us, certainly God is going to apply the same measure toward us, or else we would be imprisoned into eternal damnation, the prison of eternal fire where there is no way out for redemption.
In today’s mass, let us open our hearts to the grace of forgiveness and mercy. I believe God is always present to heal our hurts, pains, and struggles, especially to accept those who are difficult to be with. The grace of God is so abundant that we cannot set a limit to forgiving.
God bless you.
Fr. Arlon, osa
