August 13, 2009
Thursday of the Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
Then the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, that they may know I am with you, as I was with Moses. Now command the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant to come to a halt in the Jordan when they reach the edge of the waters." So Joshua said to the Israelites, "Come here and listen to the words of the LORD, your God." Joshua 3:7-9
At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.' Matthew 18:26
Piety
Father, Be patient with us today. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil so we can pay you back in full. Amen.
Study
How do we know that the living God is in our midst?
The Israelites knew because Joshua alerted them to the sign that they would see when they waded into and across the Jordan River. However, do we get a sign when we drive across the Roosevelt Bridge into the city? Or the Key Bridge? Or the Memorial Bridge? Or the Cabin John Bridge? If we look out over the railing, is Jesus walking on the surface of the water? If not, is he on the banks of the shore looking for us to join Him and to follow Him?
Joshua invited the Jews to cross the river using a very similar invitation to the one Jesus used elsewhere in the Good News according to Matthew. “Come and listen to the word of the Lord.” Come and listen to the parables. Come and listen to the beatitudes. If you want to know when the Son of Man is in our midst, we have to listen and understand the message. Through understanding, we must carry it out with our action.
One such action that will put in the Word in our midst is when we imitate the Lord. Our Gospel concentrates on challenging us to one particular aspect of Christian life: forgiveness. Then Peter approaching 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. Matthew 18:21-22
Forgiveness is at the heart of the Father’s reaction to humanity throughout history. It is at the heart of the most meaning-filled stories in our faith history. The Good Samaritan had to look past his problems with the Jews in order to minister to the man attacked and left in the ditch. The “prodigal” father had to look past the selfishness of his son to welcome him home. The savior had to look past the crime of the man executed next to him in order to bring that man to heaven.
Jesus says we have no choice except to forgive because we will face desperate times. By concentrating on acts of forgiveness, we learn that such behavior will open up for us a path to heaven. If we expect the Father to forgive us, then we have to have forgiveness in our hearts.
“So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.” Matthew 18:35
Action
Who will you forgive today?
