09/13/2026
Gospel Meditation, September 13, 2026, Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Matthew 18:21-35
In my parish, there was a new employee who often apologized to me for various imperfections in her work. While it could be a bit exhausting, I eventually said to her, “You know, you don’t need to say ‘sorry’ so frequently.” She looked me straight in the eyes and replied, “Father, you’re right. I’m sorry.” Her broad smile revealed that she found the irony amusing—and that she would continue to seek forgiveness whenever she felt it was necessary.
This week’s Gospel reading reminds us that God, through Jesus, revels in our repeated requests for and the granting of forgiveness. When Peter asks, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus replies, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.” In other words, Peter, stop keeping track.
A Christian life should be characterized by a dedication to frequent forgiveness. God never grows weary of forgiving us. His boundless love triumphs over vengeance, hatred, and division. We connect with this love every time we seek forgiveness or offer it to others.
How beautiful our hearts become when we embrace the practice of frequent forgiveness! How joyful and inviting our marriages, families, and parish communities become! How light our souls feel when liberated from the burden of keeping score.
Challenge: Identify one thing, whether small or significant, for which you could ask forgiveness from someone in your life. Then take the step to do it. — Father John Muir, OLPi
