In the first reading from the prophecy of Isaiah, he makes a clarion call to each one of us to seek the Lord while he is near and to forsake our wrong ways and embrace the mercy of God. The tone of this invitation manifests a sense of urgency to take the opportunity we may have now and come back to God with a true conversion of heart. The reason for the sense of urgency is evident because the reality of death recalls that life is fleeting and therefore, our days to live a Holy life are finite.

The book of Sirach tells us today “Forgive your neighbor the wrong he has done, and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray” while the responsorial psalm, says “Bless the Lord…who forgives all your iniquity.” While the gospel reports of Peter’s question to Jesus how many times my brother will offend me that I forgive him. Should I forgive seven times? What Peter is getting at is that everything must have an end at some point, even forgiving as well. Jesus is his response says, if you want to draw limit to forgiving, then God will also limit his mercy.

According to William Barclay, today’s gospel passage is one of the most difficult passages to interpret in the whole of Matthew’s gospel. Part of the reason may be because it has to do with open and social confrontations and many cultures try, as much as possible, to avoid confrontation. The first message Jesus teaches us in this gospel is that we should not delay in reconciling with any person we have issues with. If anyone has anything against you, spare no effort to get things right again between the two of you. Basically, it means that we must never tolerate any situation in which there is a breach of personal relationship between us and another member of the church. If anyone offends us there is only one way to settle it, face to face talk. Not talking over your broken relationship is very dangerous and can destroy your peace of heart.

In 2005, in a certain remote village a man encouraged two of his children to go for evening Catechism classes and adoration in the church. The elder one was about twelve years while the younger was four or five years old. It had rained heavily that afternoon and there was a great flood. When the catechism and adoration were over the two kids made their way back home. Because of the flood the older boy carried the younger one on his back. Suddenly the shoe of the small one fell in one of the flowing waters. The older one dropped the small one on the sidewalk and went back to pick up the shoe, and immediately the flood carried him, and he hit his head on something and died there. The father on hearing the news went straight to the priest and asked the priest where God was when my son who came for adoration and catechism died in the flood. The priest not knowing what to answer only responded that God was where He was when His son Jesus died on the cross.