Pay It Forward

The WORD today (See http://usccb.org/bible/readings/031015.cfm) reminds me that God wants to pay forward whatever blessings we receive from Him.

Forgiveness is not an easy thing to do. When we get hurt, we usually want to even the score and hurt others the way they hav hurt us. This is probably why Peter asked Jesus in the gospel how many times God wants them to forrgive. Syempre, pag paulit ulit, nakakainis. We want to set a limit, seven is a very generous number. When one reaches that limit, we want to be assured that it’s okay not to forgive anymore. But Jesus told Peter that they should forgive seven times  seventy seven times. In essence, God wants us to always forgive. He then illustrated it by a story, telling reminding us that we should forgive others just as God the Father forgives us for all the sins we commit.

God wants us to pay his goodness forward.

Just as God forgives us all the time for all the sins against him, so should we forgive others whose sins to us are very small compared to our sins against God. This is not only for forgiveness, but for all God has given us. God’s love, blessings and goodness we experience in our lives should not stop on us. They should be shared to others. We should be generous and extend these to others, especially the least, the last, and the lost.

The only way to multiply God’s love is to share them with others.

God will be more real and more alive in this world if we do our part. If we share our blessings, if we geniunely forgive others, and if we allow God to love through us, then in our own little way, we can be Jesus to others in this world. May we allow God to love and forgive us, and may it move us to allow God to love and forgive through us.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another chance to love and serve you. Thank you for loving me and forgiving me. Thank you for all the blessings. Lord, help me have a generous heart. May I be an instrument of your love and forgiveness on earth as I experience them. Help me be a willing vessel and make you more alive in this world through my life. Amen.

Blessed day!

In Christ,

-g-

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March 10, 2015

Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent

Lectionary: 238

Reading 1 Dn 3:25, 34-43

Azariah stood up in the fire and prayed aloud:

“For your name’s sake, O Lord, do not deliver us up forever,

or make void your covenant.

Do not take away your mercy from us,

for the sake of Abraham, your beloved,

Isaac your servant, and Israel your holy one,

To whom you promised to multiply their offspring

like the stars of heaven,

or the sand on the shore of the sea.

For we are reduced, O Lord, beyond any other nation,

brought low everywhere in the world this day

because of our sins.

We have in our day no prince, prophet, or leader,

no burnt offering, sacrifice, oblation, or incense,

no place to offer first fruits, to find favor with you.

But with contrite heart and humble spirit

let us be received;

As though it were burnt offerings of rams and bullocks,

or thousands of fat lambs,

So let our sacrifice be in your presence today

as we follow you unreservedly;

for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame.

And now we follow you with our whole heart,

we fear you and we pray to you.

Do not let us be put to shame,

but deal with us in your kindness and great mercy.

Deliver us by your wonders,

and bring glory to your name, O Lord.”

Responsorial Psalm PS 25:4-5ab, 6 and 7bc, 8-9

R. (6a) Remember your mercies, O Lord.

Your ways, O LORD, make known to me;

teach me your paths,

Guide me in your truth and teach me,

for you are God my savior.

R. Remember your mercies, O Lord.

Remember that your compassion, O LORD,

and your kindness are from of old.

In your kindness remember me,

because of your goodness, O LORD.

R. Remember your mercies, O Lord.

Good and upright is the LORD;

thus he shows sinners the way.

He guides the humble to justice,

he teaches the humble his way.

R. Remember your mercies, O Lord.

Verse Before the Gospel Jl 2:12-13

Even now, says the LORD,

return to me with your whole heart;

for I am gracious and merciful.

Gospel Mt 18:21-35

Peter approached Jesus and asked him,

“Lord, if my brother sins against me,

how often must I forgive him?

As many as seven times?”

Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.

That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king

who decided to settle accounts with his servants.

When he began the accounting,

a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount.

Since he had no way of paying it back,

his master ordered him to be sold,

along with his wife, his children, and all his property,

in payment of the debt.

At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said,

‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’

Moved with compassion the master of that servant

let him go and forgave him the loan.

When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants

who owed him a much smaller amount.

He seized him and started to choke him, demanding,

‘Pay back what you owe.’

Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him,

‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’

But he refused.

Instead, he had him put in prison

until he paid back the debt.

Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened,

they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master

and reported the whole affair.

His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant!

I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to.

Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant,

as I had pity on you?’

Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers

until he should pay back the whole debt.

So will my heavenly Father do to you,

unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart.”