Tuesday, 26 June 2018

THURSDAY 19TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B. By Tobe Eze


THURSDAY 19TH WEEK IN ORDINARY TIME YEAR B.
1ST READING: EZEKIEL 12:1-12
GOSPEL: MATTHEW 18:21, -19:1
THEME: DO NOT KILL THE SPIRIT OF FORGIVENESS.
The Lord got tired of the sins of the house of Israel and he was looking for any way possible to save them. He sent them many prophets but they did not heed to what they were saying. Now he is demonstrating what is to befall them but still they remained adamant. When he gets tired of all these things, destruction will follow. The Israelites we talk about is no more the Israelites of old but we that live in this generation.
In the gospel, Jesus gave us the mandate to forgive without ceasing but some do push people to the wall of killing the spirit of forgiveness in them just like the Israelites in the first reading. Think of the servant who was forgiven of the greater debt he owed, he went ahead to punish another who owed him without thinking about the grace he received and the consequences of the act. The forgiveness granted him was withdrawn immediately. The spirit of forgiveness towards him was killed by his own hands.
That we are bound to forgive is not a guarantee for us to continue to offend each other. God said we must forgive in other to be forgiven but we should also know that we are all human beings. If we remain adamant continuing to offend and provoke our neighbours or we behave like that wicked servant in the gospel, we may lose the chance of being forgiven if we do not make amend on time. As we expect others to forgive us when we sin against them, let us not also kill the spirit of forgiveness in them. Again, we are expected also to forgive as we expect forgiveness from others 7 times 70. Thanks.

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