24th Week of Ordinary Time - Year A - 17 September 2023 - Roman Catholic Liturgical Readings

Julie South [00:00:00]:

Welcome to your Catholic corner. I am your show host, Julie South. Your Catholic Corner helps Catholics spiritually prepare for each Sunday's Mass starting on Thursdays. Each week, you can listen to your Catholic Corner@yourcatholiccorner.com. If you want to follow along with me with the readings, you can do this@yourcatholiccorner.com. Today we're uncovering the biblical gems hidden in the book of Sirach, Paul's Letter to the Romans, and Matthew's Gospel for the 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time in Year A. But before that, a quick word about Your Catholic Corner, just in case this is your first time here. Regardless of where you are on your spiritual journey, whether you've only just heard of that man called Jesus, you're new to Catholicism, or you're a cradle Catholic.

Julie South [00:00:57]:

My prayer is that your Catholic Corner will help bring God's word to life in your heart through insights, reflections and practical applications that help deepen your relationship with God. Every Thursday, we'll start preparing for Mass by uncovering the richness hidden in each Sunday's Bible readings from Old Testament prophecies to Gospel parables. I invite you to join me and the parishioners of the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Hamilton, New Zealand, sponsors of your Catholic Corner, so that together we can hear God's word and echo. Samuel. Speak, Lord. Your servant is listening. Now let's get back to today's show. Remember, when two or more are gathered in his name, in God's name is Jesus, in Jesus's name, like we are here now with you and me.

Julie South [00:01:52]:

Jesus is here with us. Peace be with you. This Sunday's Bible readings are from Sirach, chapter 27, verse 30 through chapter 28, verse nine. Romans, chapter 14, verses seven through nine and Matthew chapter 18, verses 21 through 35. We'll start with a top level overview of each reading so you can have some context of what was going on in the world at the time they were written. Then we'll pray and listen to the readings, and we'll finish with my personal reflections. If you want to read along with me, then visit yourcatholiccorner.com and click today's episode where you'll find the text for the readings. Let's start with the overarching theme, usually a connecting thread from the first reading and the Gospel reading.

Julie South [00:02:48]:

Today, the readings from Sirach in the Old Testament and Matthew in the New share the common theme related to forgiveness and the consequences of holding grudges. Both readings emphasize the importance of forgiveness of forgiving others as a fundamental aspect of being Christian and living a virtuous and righteous life. Here are the some of the things that both these readings have in common or both these passages have in common forgiveness as a virtue. We have forgiveness being portrayed as a virtuous and moral action, the right thing to do. Sirach encourages us to forgive our neighbour's offences, just as God forgives our sins, while Matthew's parable of the unforgiving servant illustrates the contrast between the king's forgiveness and the servant's lack of forgiveness. These highlight the importance of showing us mercy to other people. Then we have the flip side of forgiveness holding on to grudges and the consequences of holding grudges. Both these passages highlight the negative consequences of refusing to forgive, of holding grudges, of being resentful.

Julie South [00:04:11]:

In Sirach, he warns that resentment and anger can lead to our own spiritual and emotional harm. In Matthew, the unforgiving servant is punished severely for his lack of mercy. What's being said here is that our forgiveness from God is contingent and dependent on our willingness to forgive others, a bit like having unconditional love, so we too can have unlimited or boundless forgiveness. Both of these passages convey the idea that forgiveness shouldn't have limits or conditions. Instead it should be unconditional. Sirach suggests that we should forgive our neighbour's offences, and Matthew's parable underscores the infinite nature of forgiveness when Peter asks Jesus how many times he should forgive, and Jesus responds with 77 times with that is the overarching theme today. Let's go back in time and find out a little bit more about the author of this Old Testament book. The Book of Sirach first reading from the Book of Sirach is from one of the additional books that we have in the Catholic Bible.

Julie South [00:05:47]:

If you're in the early stages of exploring Catholicism, or maybe even Christianity, your may not know that the number of individual books in the Catholic Bible. Because the Bible is made up of lots of individual books. The Catholic Bible differs from other Christian denominations or translations, especially those of Protestant or in Protestant Bibles. This difference arises from what's known as the canon canon of Scripture. And that refers to the official list of books considered inspired and authoritative. Authoritative by a religious denomination or a tradition. In the Catholic Bible. We still have the Old Testament and the New Testament.

Julie South [00:06:36]:

Like other Christian Bibles, however, we Catholics have more books in our Bibles, your or our Bible singular because it's made up of a whole bunch of books. The Old Testament portion of our Bible has 46 books. We have seven more books in our Bible which aren't included in Protestant Bibles. These extra books are from Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Sirach, also known as Ecclesiasticus, which is what we're reading from today Barak and additional portions of the books of Esther and Daniel. The New Testament is the same in both Catholic and Protestant Bibles, containing 27 books. Now back to today's reading from Sirach. So we're special because we're Catholics, because we've got extra books. The author of Sirach is traditionally attributed to a Jewish sage named Jesus Ben Sera, also known as Ben Sera, and also known or also known as Yeshua Ben Sera.

Julie South [00:07:44]:

He is thought to have lived and written during the second century BC in Jerusalem, or close to. Ben Sera was a devout Jew and a scholar who wrote his work in Hebrew. It's believed it was later translated into Greek by his grandson. The book's, a collection of wise sayings, proverbs and moral teachings. Because of this, some liken it to the Book of Proverbs, which is also an Old Testament book of the Bible. Therefore, Sirach is thought to have had a significant influence on Jewish and Christian thought. He's given scholars insights into the wisdom and moral teachings of life in second century BC.

Let's have a look at what historians believe life was like at that time in that part of the world.

Julie South [00:08:43]:

Back then, the Roman Republic was transitioning into the Roman Empire. During that time, there were powerful leaders like Julius Caesar and Augustus. Both of those men were transforming the political landscape. The emergence of the Roman Empire brought relative stability to many regions, including parts of the Middle East. In the region of Judea, which we know today as modern day Israel and Palestine, the Jewish people were living under various quite a few foreign rulers, including the Seleucids and later the Romans. This period included events such as the Maccabean Revolt, which took place in about 167 to 160 BC against the Seleucids. You may recognize the Maccabean name as there are two books in the Bible called Maccabees One and Two. The Maccabean Revolt led to the rededication of the Second Temple and the celebration of Hanukkah.

Julie South [00:09:55]:

Actually talking about I just realized that when I pronounced Seleucids, I don't even know sorry, I apologise if I'm not pronouncing that correctly. I was told that I mispronounced something quite significantly last week. So if you listen to that and you picked it up, I apologize. I am still learning also at that time. So we are back in the second century BC. Here also at that time, Judaism was a prominent religious tradition with the Jewish people practicing their faith and adhering to the Torah. Society was very structured and hierarchical. The rulers and elite had almost limitless power.

Julie South [00:10:39]:

At the other end of the scale, slavery was widespread. Religion was very important, as was family and community life. Hopefully this gives you a bit of an idea, albeit in a 101 form of the context of today's first reading from the Book of Sirach. 

Now let's look at what Paul was saying in his Letter to the Romans. At the time, the Jewish people were so totally tied up in what was law and air quotes, religious laws of which they had over 600 of them, that they weren't able to see. It was blinding them to what faith, religion and God were all about, which was love. They were just tied up into doing what was right and what was wrong. There were many religious laws around what they couldn't couldn't eat, when and how.

Julie South [00:11:32]:

It's believed that this part of his Letter to the Romans, as brief as it is today, was about their obsession with dietary laws, restrictions and observances divisions. Grievances were rife. Forgiveness was required, but not often forthcoming. Paul wanted them to keep their eyes, their hearts their souls, their lives focused on God. And that leads us into the Gospel of Matthew again, a parable of unconditional and limitless forgiveness. Now let's pray together, knowing that Jesus is with us. We've got the backdrop, so let's just pray. These readings today.

Julie South [00:12:18]:

We know that when two or more are together, as the are right now with you and me, with today's readings, that Jesus is with us. If you want to read along with me, please go to yourcatholiccorner.com. You'll find the text of the readings. There a reading from the book of Sirach. 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 a strict account of sin. Forgive your neighbor the hurt he does you, and when you pray, your sins will be forgiven. If a man nurses anger against another, can the 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.

Julie South [00:13:23]:

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 neighbor ill will. Remember the covenant of the Most High and overlook the offense. The word of the Lord. A reading from the letter of Paul to the Romans. The life and death of each of us has its influence on others. If we live, we live for the Lord.

Julie South [00:14:10]:

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. A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew. 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 even seven, I tell you, but 77 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 10,000 talents, but he had no means of paying.

Julie South [00:15:14]:

So his master gave orders that he should be sold together with his wife and children and all of 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 canceled the debt. Now, as this servant went out, he happened to meet a fellow servant who owed him 100 Danari, 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.

Julie South [00:15:58]:

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. The the master sent for him. You wicked servant, he said. I canceled 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 this is how my heavenly Father will deal with you, unless you forgive your brother from your heart.

Julie South [00:16:44]:

The gospel of the Lord. What was God saying to you? This passage of Matthews has become one of my mantras over the years. Since I first heard it. I actually somehow managed to mash up the instructions and the words a little bit in my head. But when I'm struggling with forgiveness, when I'm feeling wronged, slighted, hard done by, taken advantage of, my mantra becomes forgiveness 70 times seven. I say this over and over and over and over again until I start to feel the bitterness, the anger, the hurt dissipate in me a little. And every time I feel myself getting wound up, sometimes it's only minutes after I thought I had it dealt with, I start all over again. Forgiveness 70 times seven.

Julie South [00:17:41]:

Forgiveness 70 times seven. I rinse and repeat those words as often and for as long as I need to. Forgiveness 70 times seven. After a while, the time it takes depends on where I'm at and what's going on or went on. I'm able to forgive, but it's taken God's help. So that's one way that I incorporate what Jesus is teaching with his parable in my life today. Forgiveness 70 times seven. What other ways can we bring Jesus alive in our secular world here in the 21st century? These three Bible readings are relevant today regardless of where you are with your faith and your relationship with Jesus, because they're about the timeless human themes of forgiveness, of mercy, of compassion, of self reflection, and the importance of living virtuous, love filled lives.

Julie South [00:18:47]:

Mercy filled lives forgiving filled lives. They show us a way for us to build lives and communities centered on compassion, on harmony, and on moral rightness, as God would like. We are encouraged to look at what we do to extend our own forgiveness and embrace the spirit of empathy and interconnectedness that us humans really do crave and need to feel full, to feel spiritually full and complete. For example, we have the message of reconciliation and mercy. Imagine a friendship, families, workplaces, communities, countries less divided because more of us were brave enough to put our big girl and big boy knickers on front up and forgive 70 times seven or however many 70 times sevens it takes to forgive and reconcile. What about mercy and compassion? Right now there are lots of people hurting. We have inflation like many of us haven't experienced before and we don't know how to handle it. As I'm recording this, there are thousands dead and hurting in Morocco after the earthquake there.

Julie South [00:20:15]:

Our families are divided, our countries are divided, our world is divided and hurting. Imagine what it would be like if we all showed a little bit more mercy, empathy and compassion to others who are in pain right now. Because remember that hurting people hurt. Forgiveness 70 times seven. If we all realized how truly interconnected we all are to each other, would we do the things that we do? Burning bridges through non forgiveness is crazy. You might need to walk back across that same bridge in a few days, a few weeks, a few years'time. Here in New Zealand, where we're only separated by a few degrees, some say two. It doesn't make sense to hold on to grudges and resentment.

Julie South [00:21:14]:

It doesn't make sense wherever you are in the world to fail to forgive, because that's not what God wants of us. He wants us to forgive. Regardless of the fact that I've mashed up what Jesus was saying to Matthew back then, god wants us to forgive 70 times seven. At least. Thank you for spending the last 20 minutes or so of your life with God and me today. Wherever you are, I pray that love, forgiveness and reconciliation are alive in your heart. That the mantra of 70 times seven works for you like it works for me. With God's help.

Julie South [00:22:00]:

I pray that forgiveness and mercy are at the center of your universe and that love and reconciliation with God's help is rewarding and full of joy for you. I also pray that you're able to echo Samuel's words and say speak Lord, your servant is listening. Please, if this podcast has been beneficial to you, if it has helped you be a little bit more spiritually prepared for your mass, your sharing and breaking bread on Sundays, please help spread the word by telling your friends about it. And finally, with thanks, very special thanks to the parishioners of the Cathedral of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who helped me bring this podcast to you today. I pray also that your able to rely on God's strength and guidance even in those difficult times. This is Julie South signing off and wishing you peace. God bless.