GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Matthew 18:21–19:1

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 the fellow servant 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 his brother from his heart.”

When Jesus finished these words, he left Galilee

and went to the district of Judea across the Jordan.

The gospel of the Lord

Forgiving Without Conditions

How important and necessary forgiveness is—and even more, how much it helps us become better and, above all, love each other more deeply. We could say that forgiveness is one of the greatest gifts Jesus has given us. He forgives everything, no matter what it is—and most importantly, He forgets.

We should associate forgiveness with forgetting, because when we forgive but do not forget, we are placing conditions on the gift we’ve received from the Lord. And He never places conditions on His forgiveness—He loves us and forgives us freely.

Yet how hard it is for us to forgive, especially because we think more about ourselves than about the one who has offended us. And even more, how difficult it can be to forgive the one closest to us—even the one we love most: our spouse. But we must always forgive from the heart.

To understand this better, let’s break down the word to forgive: PAR-DON.

• The prefix PAR can signify intensity, duration, or completeness.
• The word DON means a gift, a special grace or ability to do something—a supernatural good we receive from God.

So when we join PAR to DON, we are intensifying the grace we’ve received. And there is no greater gift than love. Therefore, when we forgive from the heart, we show greater love to the one we forgive—we love them beyond the harm they may have caused us.

Moreover, we have the sacrament of confession, where we can always go to ask for forgiveness, receive grace, and recognize the importance of forgiving from the heart.

Applied to married fife

Laura: John, you’ve left your tools out again, just like always—this can’t keep happening!

John: Just give me a moment, I’ll pick them up now.

Laura: Here we go again with the “just a moment” excuse. I’ll have to remind you several times. You’re not helping at all with keeping the house in order.

John: You’re always saying the same thing, but it’s not worth getting upset over a couple of things I leave out now and then. Forgive me, I’ll try not to let it happen again.

Laura: You think that’s enough? It takes more than a simple “forgive me.” I feel like you’re not helping with what I really need.

John: You never let anything slide! Look how you let the kids leave their things all over the place and don’t make a big deal about it, but with me, the slightest thing and you’re on my case.

Laura Oh sure, go ahead and defend yourself—now it’s going to be my fault too.

John: Fine, I’ll leave everything tidy so the lady of the house is satisfied. Sometimes I just don’t understand you.

(A few hours later, during their couple’s prayer)

Laura: Thank you, Lord, for my husband—for everything he does for me and how attentive he is. Forgive me for my lack of patience and for giving the impression that I never let anything slide. Sometimes I focus more on what he doesn’t do than on who he is. Help me love him with his little flaws and always forgive him from the heart.

John: Thank you, Lord, for the gift of my wife—she does everything to help me become better each day. Forgive me for not paying attention to the little things I know she doesn’t like, and for leaving them until the last minute as if they didn’t matter. Also for always making excuses and defending myself when she points something out that I don’t feel like doing. Help me be more attentive to her, loving her first in the things that are hardest for me.

Laura: Thank you, John. What do you think about going to confession together so we can purify our hearts? That way we’ll stop being led by our impulses and it’ll be easier to see what the Lord wants from us.

John: I think that’s the best option. This time I have no excuse—let’s go now.

Mother,

Mother, you call us to convert our hearts so that we may love as Your Son loves us—to teach us and help us forgive from the heart, so that we may draw ever closer to Him. Blessed be the Lord.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Matthew 18:15-20

Jesus said to his disciples:

“If your brother sins against you,

go and tell him his fault between you and him alone.

If he listens to you, you have won over your brother.

If he does not listen,

take one or two others along with you,

so that every fact may be established

on the testimony of two or three witnesses.

If he refuses to listen to them, tell the Church.

If he refuses to listen even to the Church,

then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector.

Amen, I say to you,

whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven,

and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth

about anything for which they are to pray,

it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father.

For where two or three are gathered together in my name,

there am I in the midst of them.”

The gospel of the Lord

For love of you, or for love of me?

How delicate Jesus is, how much care He takes with each soul.

It’s not easy to correct someone, and even less so to be corrected. That’s why Jesus teaches us how to do it.

The world tempts us to judge from afar, to make easy comments from a distance, to remain silent with resentment or to explode harshly. Jesus, on the other hand, teaches us to correct with gentleness, from closeness, with prayer, with patience…

Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) said that there is no truth without charity, and no charity without truth—a reality fully reflected in the Heart of Jesus, both just and merciful.

Without love, truth can wound and divide; without truth, love can become false or permissive. Truth and Love are inseparably united in Jesus. So we too must correct our brothers—and especially our spouse—because through our sacrament, we are their suitable help and ministers of God’s grace for them.

Christian spouses administer God’s grace to one another, even in what is hard to accept. To correct, to pray, and to offer sacrifices for the other is to truly love.

Lord, today we contemplate Your Heart, which always comes to meet us with tenderness and gentleness, to rescue us, heal us, and lead us to You. Give us a heart like Yours, and thank You for Your infinite mercy.

Applied to Married Life:

Fernand: Hey, can we talk for a moment?

Andrea: Of course, go ahead.

Fernand: This morning it bothered me that you took so long to get ready. We were in a hurry and you spent quite a while choosing what to wear. I think you should be more organised and not waste so much time on that.

Andrea: Do you really think it was that serious?

Fernand: I think you should be more practical—I believe that’s also part of living virtuously.

Andrea: (after a pause) I’ve been thinking… are you sure you corrected me for my own good? Or because it makes you nervous to be kept waiting?

Fernand: (reflecting) uuufff… I think you’re right. It’s true, I didn’t realize I spoke to you from impatience, not from love. It bothers me to be kept waiting, and I disguised my anger as virtue.

Andrea: Don’t worry, it’s easy to fall into that… if we’re going to correct each other, let it be to draw closer to God, not to mold the other to our own preferences. Otherwise, we’re just controlling, not loving—don’t you think?

Fernand: Thank you for helping me see that. I want my corrections to come from love, and to receive yours as a gift for my soul. Help me learn this

Mother,

The just and merciful Heart of Jesus is our model. Lead us to Him! Don’t let go of our hand. Blessed are you!

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Matthew 18:1-5, 10, 12-14

The disciples approached Jesus and said,

“Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven?”

He called a child over, placed it in their midst, and said,

“Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children,

you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.

Whoever becomes humble like this child

is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven.

And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me.

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones,

for I say to you that their angels in heaven

always look upon the face of my heavenly Father.

What is your opinion?

If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray,

will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills

and go in search of the stray?

And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it

than over the ninety-nine that did not stray.

In just the same way, it is not the will of your heavenly Father

that one of these little ones be lost.”

The gospel of the Lord

Become like a child

God’s Word is so rich that we can always contemplate countless teachings within it. But this time, let’s focus on Jesus’ invitation to become like children. What did the Lord mean when He asked us to become small? There are many more reasons than we can list, but here are a few:

Children know they are small—they are humble. They don’t rely on their own strength, but on their father’s. They know that where they fall short, their father does not. The little ones don’t get overwhelmed or anxious; they sleep peacefully and trustingly, knowing their father will provide everything. They love their father and know they are loved by him—and that is the rest their hearts need. They ask without tiring, never doubting the Father’s love: “If Dad does it, it must be for a reason.”

Jesus asks us to have this attitude to enter the Kingdom of Heaven: surrender, humility, trust, and love. Let God be your Father—by becoming small.

Applied to married Life:

Charlotte: John, in a year my contract at work ends, and I don’t think they’ll renew it. I’ve overheard some comments… I hadn’t told you, but I haven’t been sleeping.

John: What are you saying, Charlotte? Why are you so anxious? Don’t you know we have a Father in heaven who cares for us? What do we have to fear? You know not even a hair falls from our heads without His permission. Why are you distressed?

Charlotte: I think I’ve been going through all this alone, relying only on my own strength… and that’s why I feel this way.

John: Rest in Him. Don’t be overwhelmed. Place it in His hands, trust Him, and let’s ask that His will be done. He is our Father and always wants what’s best for us. Shall we go spend a little time adoring Him in the Eucharist?

Charlotte: Yes, my love. I really needed to hear all this.

John: Become small and trust in Him.

Mother,

You always lived abandoned to the Father, even when you didn’t understand. Help me be like You—to have your trust and your faith.

Blessed are you forever!

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Matthew17:22-27

As Jesus and his disciples were gathering in Galilee,

Jesus said to them,

“The Son of Man is to be handed over to men,

and they will kill him, and he will be raised on the third day.”

And they were overwhelmed with grief.

When they came to Capernaum,

the collectors of the temple tax approached Peter and said,

“Does not your teacher pay the temple tax?”

“Yes,” he said.

When he came into the house, before he had time to speak,

Jesus asked him, “What is your opinion, Simon?

From whom do the kings of the earth take tolls or census tax?

From their subjects or from foreigners?”

When he said, “From foreigners,” Jesus said to him,

“Then the subjects are exempt.

But that we may not offend them, go to the sea, drop in a hook,

and take the first fish that comes up.

Open its mouth and you will find a coin worth twice the temple tax.

Give that to them for me and for you.”

The gospel of the Lord

Obedience to God’s Plan

What must Peter’s face have looked like when Jesus told him to cast a hook into the sea, catch a fish, and take the coin from its mouth to pay the temple tax? Couldn’t it have been easier? The apostles probably thought the same when Jesus explained how our salvation would unfold. Not understanding or accepting God’s plan led them to become “very sad.”

Many times, we don’t understand why the Lord allows difficult or confusing situations in our marriage. But like Peter, we must be docile to God’s plan, no matter how absurd it may seem. Only He knows what we need for our marriage to become what He intended.

Applied to married Life:

Peter: Ugh, I’m exhausted. It’s been a terrible day at work. I hope dinner’s ready. Wait—have you not put the kids to bed yet?

Marian: Well, don’t come in here making demands. It’s been a terrible day with the kids too. Sarah has a fever, and I had to take all three to the doctor… Two hours in the waiting room. So no, dinner’s not ready.

Peter: I’m so tired, I just want a shower.

Marian: Fine then. Kids! Everyone to the shower—your father can’t bathe you. I’ll make some sausages for dinner…

(Two hours later, during their couple’s prayer)

Peter: Lord, even when You’re weary, You still care for everyone with such detail. I’ve been selfish tonight. I didn’t see all that Marian did, and I didn’t help her.

Marian: Lord, I didn’t see how Peter works hard to support this family, and I haven’t thanked him enough.

Peter: Forgive me, Marian, for often leaving you alone with all the work of caring for the children, for focusing only on myself and my needs, and not seeing all the good you do for us.

Marian: Forgive me too, for not valuing you. We’re in a challenging season of life, and we need to be united and trust in the Lord.

Peter: That’s right—let’s trust in Him, in His plan for us, even when it feels hard. Let’s take

Mother,

Teach us to do God’s will at all times—when it’s easy and when it’s not—and thus give glory to God always.

Praised be You always, Lord!

GOSPEL