Twenty Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sirach 27:30 – 28:7 (JB)

A reading from the book of Ecclesiasticus

Forgive your neighbour’s faults and when you pray, your sins will be forgiven.

Resentment and anger, these are foul things,

and both are found with the sinner.

He who exacts vengeance will experience the vengeance of the Lord,

who keeps strict account of sin.

Forgive your neighbour the hurt he does you,

and when you pray, your sins will be forgiven.

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?

Mere creature of flesh, he cherishes resentment;

who will forgive him his sins?

Remember the last things, and stop hating,

remember dissolution and death, and live by the commandments.

Remember the commandments, and do not bear your neighbour ill-will;

remember the covenant of the Most High, and overlook the offence.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Sirach 27:30 – 28:7 (NRSV)

A reading from the book of Sirach

Anger and wrath, these are abominations,

yet a sinner holds on to them.

The vengeful will face the Lord’s vengeance,

for he keeps a strict account of their sins.

Forgive your neighbour the wrong that is done,

and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray.

Does anyone harbour anger against an other,

and expect healing from the Lord?

If one has no mercy toward an other like oneself,

can one then seek pardon for one’s own sins?

If a mere mortal harbours wrath,

who will make an atoning sacrifice for that one’s sins?

Remember the end of your life,

and set enmity aside

remember corruption and death,

and be true to the commandments.

Remember the commandments,

and do not be angry with your neighbour;

remember the covenant of the Most High,

and overlook faults.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Ps 102:1-4, 9-12 (JB)

R. The Lord is kind and merciful;

slow to anger and rich in compassion.

My soul, give thanks to the Lord,

all my being, bless his holy name.

My soul, give thanks to the Lord

and never forget all his blessings. R.

It is he who forgives all your guilt,

who heals every one of your ills,

who redeems your life from the grave,

who crowns you with love and compassion. R.

His wrath will come to an end;

he will not be angry for ever.

He does not treat us according to our sins

nor repay us according to our faults. R.

For as the heavens are high above the earth

so strong is his love for those who fear him.

As far as the east is from the west

so far does he remove our sins. R.

Romans 14:7-9 (JB)

A reading from the letter of St Paul to the Romans

Whether alive or dead, we belong to the Lord.

The life and death of each of us has its influence on others; if we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord, so that alive or dead we belong to the Lord. This explains why Christ both died and came to life, it was so that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Romans 14:7-9 (NRSV)

A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans

My brothers and sisters,

we do not live to ourselves,

and we do not die to ourselves.

If we live, we live to the Lord,

and if we die, we die to 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.

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

John 13:34 (JB)

Alleluia, alleluia!

I give you a new commandment:

love one another as I have loved you.

Alleluia!

John 13:34 (NRSV)

Alleluia, alleluia!

I give you a new commandment:

love one another as I have loved you.

Alleluia!

Matthew 18:21-35 (JB)

A reading from the holy Gospel according to Matthew

I tell you that you forgive not seven times but seventy times seven.

Peter went up to Jesus and said, ‘Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?’ Jesus answered, ‘Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times.

‘And so the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who decided to settle his accounts with his servants. When the reckoning began, they brought him a man who owed ten thousand talents; but he had no means of paying, so his master gave orders that he should be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, to meet the debt. At this, the servant threw himself down at his master’s feet. “Give me time,” he said, “and I will pay the whole sum.” And the servant’s master felt so sorry for him that he let him go and cancelled the debt. Now as this servant went out, he happened to meet a fellow servant who owed him one hundred denarii; and he seized him by the throat and began to throttle him. “Pay what you owe me,” he said. His fellow servant fell at his feet and implored him, saying, “Give me time and I will pay you.” But the other would not agree; on the contrary, he had him thrown into prison till he should pay the debt. His fellow servants were deeply distressed when they saw what had happened, and they went to their master and reported the whole affair to him. Then the master sent for him. “You wicked servant,” he said, “I cancelled all that debt of yours when you appealed to me. Were you not bound, then, to have pity on your fellow servant just as I had pity on you?” And in his anger the master handed him over to the torturers till he should pay all his debt. And that is how my heavenly Father will deal with you unless you each forgive your brother from your heart.’

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 18:21-35 (NRSV)

A reading from the holy gospel according to Matthew

Peter came and said to Jesus,

“Lord, a brother or sister sins against me,

how often should I forgive?

As many as seven times?”

Jesus said to him,

“Not seven times,

but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.

“For this reason the kingdom of heaven

may be compared to a king

who wished to settle accounts with his slaves.

When he began the reckoning,

one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him;

and, as he could not pay,

his lord ordered him to be sold,

together with his wife and children and all his possessions,

and payment to be made.

So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying,

‘Have patience with me,

and I will pay you everything.’

The lord of that slave released him

and forgave him the debt.

“But that same slave, as he went out,

called upon one of his fellow slaves

who owed him a hundred denarii;

and seizing him by the throat, he said,

‘Pay what you owe.’

Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him,

‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’

But he refused;

then he went and threw him into prison

until he would pay the debt.

“When his fellow slaves saw what had happened,

they were greatly distressed,

and they went and reported to their lord

all that had taken place.

Then his lord summoned him and said to him,

‘You wicked slave!

I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me.

Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave,

as I had mercy on you?’

And in anger his lord handed him over to be tortured

until he would pay his entire debt.

“So my heavenly Father will also do to every one of you,

if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.