First Reading

First reading

Reading from the book of Sirach

Sirach 27, 33–28, 9

Resentment and anger are abominable things;
yet the sinner clings to them.
The Lord will take vengeance on the vengeful
and will keep a strict account of their sins.

Forgive your neighbor the wrong he has done,
and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray.
Can one refuse mercy to another like oneself,
yet seek pardon for one’s own sins?

If a man nurses anger against another,
can he then demand compassion from the Lord?
Showing no pity for a man like himself,
can he then plead for his own sins?

Remember the end of your life, and cease from enmity,
remember corruption and death, and be faithful to the commandments.

Remember the commandments, and do not be angry with your neighbor;
remember the covenant of the Most High, and overlook faults.

Second reading

Reading from the letter of the apostle Saint Paul to the Romans

Romans 14, 7-9

Brothers and sisters: None of us lives for oneself, and none of us dies for oneself. For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

Gospel

Reading from the holy gospel according to Saint Matthew

Matthew 18, 21-35

At that time, Peter came up and asked Jesus, “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.”

Then Jesus said: “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.”