8/13/2026 (Thursday) Today’s Gospel reading: Matthew 18:21-35, 19:1

21 Peter approached Jesus and asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?”
22 Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.
23 That is why the Kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants.
24 When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount.
25 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.
26 At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.’
27 Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan.
28 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.’
29 Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’
30 But he refused. Instead, he had the fellow servant put in prison until he paid back the debt.
31 Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair.
32 His master summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to.
33 Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?’
34 Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt.
35 So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.”
1 When Jesus finished these words, he left Galilee and went to the district of Judea across the Jordan.

8/13/2026 (Thursday) Today’s Gospel reflection / homily / sermon: Matthew 18:21-35, 19:1

Theme: Forgiven by the KING

Forgiveness is one of the most beautiful teachings of Jesus, but it is also one of the most difficult to practice. We may forgive someone once or twice, but when the same person hurts us repeatedly, we begin to ask, “How long must I continue forgiving?” Jesus teaches that forgiveness should not be measured by a limited number. It must become a way of life because God’s mercy toward us is beyond calculation.

The story presents a servant who owed his king an enormous amount, far more than he could ever repay. Facing judgment, he pleaded for patience. The king was moved with compassion and completely cancelled the debt. However, after receiving such extraordinary mercy, the servant met someone who owed him a much smaller amount. Instead of showing compassion, he demanded immediate payment and treated the other servant harshly.

This story reminds us that we are all debtors before God. We have failed, sinned, and made mistakes countless times. Yet God continues to offer mercy when we sincerely turn back to Him. If we gladly receive His forgiveness but refuse to forgive others, we have not truly understood the grace given to us.

We can remember this message through the word KING:

K — Keep No Record of Wrongs

Forgiveness begins when we stop repeatedly counting another person’s failures. This does not mean pretending that the hurt never happened. It means refusing to use the past as a weapon. Constantly replaying the offense keeps the wound open. Healing begins when we surrender our desire to punish and allow God to deal with both our pain and the person who caused it.

I — Imitate God’s Mercy

The king’s compassion reflects the mercy of God. We forgive not because the offender always deserves it, but because we ourselves have received mercy. Every time we forgive, we become more like our heavenly Father. Mercy is not weakness; it is the strength to break the cycle of anger, revenge, and bitterness.

N — Never Imprison Your Heart

The unforgiving servant sent another person to prison, but unforgiveness also creates an invisible prison within us. Resentment occupies our thoughts, steals our peace, and affects our relationships. The person who hurt us may continue living normally while we remain trapped in anger. Forgiveness opens the prison door and allows our hearts to breathe again.

G — Go Forward in Freedom

After completing this teaching, Jesus left the place and continued His journey. This movement gives us a beautiful picture of what forgiveness makes possible: we can move forward. We cannot change what happened yesterday, but we can choose not to carry its poison into tomorrow. Forgiveness does not always restore a relationship, especially when trust has been seriously damaged. However, it releases us from the burden of hatred and places justice in God’s hands.

The KING has forgiven us a debt we could never repay. Let us therefore keep no record of wrongs, imitate God’s mercy, never imprison our hearts, and go forward in freedom. The forgiven heart should become a forgiving heart.

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