@st.andrew.parish.bayelle: *SUNDAY HOMILY | 24TH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME - YEAR A* _Theme: FORGIVE AS LONG AS YOU LIVE — 70 x 7 TIMES_ _Gospel: Matthew 18:21-35 — The Unforgiving Servant_ _Preached by: Rev. Fr. Ferdinand | St. Andrew's Parish, Upper Bayelle_ _"Faithful in worship and joyful in service"_ -Summary by: Sonila Donald Tardzenyuy. My dear brothers and sisters, Today Peter asks a question we all ask: _"Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother? Seven times?"_ Peter thought seven was generous. The rabbis said three times. Peter doubled it plus one. He expected Jesus to praise him. But Jesus shocked him: *"Not seven times, but seventy times seven."* — *Matthew 18:22* That is 490 times! For the same person! For the same sin! Jesus means: *forgiveness has no calculator. And to explain, Jesus tells us the story of two servants. THE TWO DEBTS: A master had a servant who owed him 10,000 talents. One talent is 20 years' salary. 10,000 talents is millions! Impossible to pay. The master says, "Sell him, his wife, his children!" The servant kneels, "Have patience!" And the master, moved with compassion, *forgave everything*. All cancelled! That same servant goes out and finds his fellow servant who owes him 100 denarii — just 100 days' salary. Small money. He chokes him: "Pay me!" The fellow begs, "Have patience!" But he refuses. He throws him in prison. When the master heard it, he was angry: "You wicked servant! I forgave you millions, you could not forgive 100?" My people, the first servant is you and me. Our debt to God is 10,000 talents — our lies, gossip, fornication, hatred. Impossible to pay. Yet God forgives us daily in Confession. Our brother's debt to us is only 100 denarii — that insult, that 5,000frs, that land palaver. If God forgave you millions, why can't you forgive 100? WHAT FORGIVENESS IS NOT: 1. Forgiveness does not mean you approve injustice. If someone stole your land, forgiveness does not say "stealing is good." It says "stealing is wrong, but I will not let your wrong kill my heart." _“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”_ — Romans 12:21 2. Forgive and forget? God forgets, but we are human. Forgiveness is not amnesia. It means you remember, but you no longer demand revenge. You remember with mercy, not with poison. 3. Seek justice, not revenge. Forgiveness allows you to go to court, to correct, to protect yourself — but without hatred. Justice says, "Let truth be restored." Revenge says, "Let him suffer like I suffered." WHAT FORGIVENESS IS: 1. Forgiveness is a choice. It is not a feeling. Feelings will come later. Today you choose: "I refuse to allow the wrong done to me to control my heart, my mind, my actions." _“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger... Be kind and compassionate, forgiving each other.”_ — *Ephesians 4:31-32* 2. Forgiveness is a process. You may forgive today, tomorrow the pain returns. Forgive again. 70x7 is a process for life. As long as we live, we must practice forgiveness. The forgiveness God shows us is far greater than what we can practice as humans, but we must try. Every day. In Upper Bayelle, many families are broken because of Anglophone crisis, land case, wife and husband palaver. If we don't forgive, who will? This week, go and do it. Call that brother. Release that debt. Stop that court case in your heart. _“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”_ — Matthew 5:7 _“Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”_ — Matthew 6:12 _“Bear with each other and forgive one another.”_ — Colossians 3:13 May God give us a forgiving heart. Amen. #SundayHomily #24thSunday #YearA #Forgiveness #70x7

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Sunday 13 September 2026 14:06:25 GMT