September 15, 2002

Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Book of Sirach, formerly known as Ecclesiastics, so called from the Greek word that signifies a
preacher beca!se, like an e"cellent preacher, it gi#es admirable
lessons of all #irt!es$ The a!thor was %es!s, the son of Sirach, of %er!salem, who flo!rished abo!t two
h!ndred years before &hrist$ 's it was written after the time of
the (rophet Esdras, it is not in the (alestinian &anon, the &anon !sed by the %ews and (rotestants$ The
Book of Sirach is a )e!terocanonical Book and is recei#ed as &anonical
and di#ine by the *oly &atholic &h!rch, instr!cted by 'postolical tradition, and directed by the Spirit of
God$ +ncidentally, + ha#e personally fo!nd ,2 references to the
Book of Sirach in the -ew Testament$ There are probably more$ +t was first written in *ebrew, b!t
afterwards translated into Greek by another %es!s, the grandson of the
a!thor$ The Book of Sirach has been nick.named, /The &atechism of the %ews$/
0eading +
Sir 21230..2425
6rath and anger are hatef!l things, yet the sinner h!gs them tight$ The #engef!l will s!ffer the 780)9s
#engeance,
for he remembers their sins in detail$ :orgi#e yo!r neighbor9s in;!stice then when yo! pray, yo!r own sins
will be forgi#en$ &o!ld anyone no!rish anger against another and e"pect healing from the 780)< &o!ld
anyone ref!se mercy to another like himself, can he seek pardon for his own sins< +f one who is b!t flesh
cherishes wrath,
who will forgi#e his sins< 0emember yo!r last days, set enmity aside remember death and decay, and
cease from sin=
Think of the commandments, hate not yo!r neighbor
remember the >ost *igh9s co#enant, and o#erlook fa!lts$
Sirach 21230 /' mischie#o!s co!nsel shall be rolled back !pon the a!thor, and he shall not know from
whence is came to him$/
*im$$$God will p!nish, when the sinner has perhaps forgotten his offence$
&almet says, /s!ch are often chastised here, and always hereafter$/
Sirach 2421 /The #engef!l will s!ffer the 780)9s #engeance, for he remembers their sins in detail$/
Sins$$$To seek re#enge o!t of rancor, or contrary to ;!stice, is a grie#o!s sin$
Sirach 2422 /:orgi#e yo!r neighbor9s in;!stice then when yo! pray, yo!r own sins will be forgi#en$/
:orgi#e$$$This charity enforces, when the offender is penitent, if remission of p!nishment be contrary to
;!stice and discipline$ 6e all stand in need of pardon$
Sirach 2425 /&o!ld anyone ref!se mercy to another like himself, can he seek pardon for his own sins</
+n Greek this reads, /6ho will e"piate his sins</ +s God bo!nd to recei#e *is #ictims or prayers while he
entertains s!ch dispositions<
Sirach 2421.4 /remember death and decay, and cease from sin= Think of the commandments, hate not yo!r
neighbor/
?sing the Greek #ersion of this #erse, we can easily see the a!thor is saying, 0emember corr!ption and
death, and abide in the &ommandments, which of co!rse, condemns re#enge$
+n other words, /)o not rage or menace yo!r neighbor with destr!ction and death stick to the Ten
&ommandments$ Be mindf!l of the precepts, and do not be angry with yo!r neighbor, and of the
co#enant$/.&almet
Sirach 2425 /remember the >ost *igh9s co#enant, and o#erlook fa!lts$/
The words2 /8#erlooking ignorance/ is fo!nd in better translations than this one$ The a!thor !ses a softer
term$ +n effect, most @!arrels proceed from a mis!nderstanding$ /E#ery sinner is ignorant$/
0eading ++
St$ (a!l9s Epistle to the 0omans is gi#en the position of honor at the head of all the -ew Testament
Epistles$ +t was written at &orinth d!ring the winter of 51.54 '), at the close of St$ (a!l9s Third
>issionary %o!rney, prior to his #oyage to %er!salem, where at the instigation of his bitter %ewish
ad#ersaries he was to be arrested and afterwards held prisoner, for se#eral years$ This date for the
composition of the Epistle is arri#ed at by comparing the circ!mstances and persons to which it all!des
with those at &orinth d!ring St$ (a!l9s so;o!rn there at the close of his third missionary ;o!rney$
St$ (a!l d!ring this period of his missionary acti#ity had co#ered thoro!ghly the territory of the Eastern
Empire and was looking for new places to e#angeliAe in the 6est$ *e p!rposed, accordingly, after #isiting
%er!salem, went to Spain, stopping en ro!t at 0ome$ St$ (a!l was a citiAen of 0ome by #irt!e of his birth$
*e wished to inform the 0omans of his intended #isit and to set before them the fr!its of his meditations on
the great religio!s @!estion of the day, ;!stification by faith and the relation of this new system of Sal#ation
to the >osaic religion$
St$ (a!l did deal briefly with this @!estion in his letter to the Galatians, b!t he had not de#eloped in writing
his doctrine on the point$ +t is this reason, + personally am con#inced that this is the sole reason we ha#e
(rotestantism in the world$ +t was 7!ther9s mis!nderstanding of this doctrine that has ca!sed what the
Great *ilaire Belloc refers to as the /Shipwreck of &hristendom$/
0om 1,21.5
Brothers and sisters2 -one of !s li#es for oneself, and no one dies for oneself$ :or if we li#e, we li#e for
the 7ord,
and if we die, we die for the 7ord so then, whether we li#e or die, we are the 7ord9s$ :or this is why &hrist
died and came to life, that he might be 7ord of both the dead and the li#ing$
-one of !s li#es for himself$$$The liberating act of &hrist, freeing mankind from the ensla#ement of the B13
%ewish 7aws, Sin, and )eath enable !s to li#e for God$ This implies the ser#ice of God in all things it is
also the basis of a &hristian9s social obligations$
6e are the 7ord9s$$$6e belong to and m!st acknowledge o!r relation to o!r Blessed 7ord as &hrist, Cin
Greek the word for &hrist is DyriosE$ 8!r bodies are not o!r own, we ha#e been p!rchased for a price$ See
1 &or B220$
7ord of both the dead and the li#ing$$$St$ (a!l form!lates the finality of the redempti#e passion and
e"altation of %es!s &hrist, stressing the so#ereignty o#er the /dead and the li#ing/ that became his as of the
res!rrection$ +t is a ?ni#ersal dominion proper to the Dyrios of all$
See 1 Thess 5210 F (hil 2211$
The &hristian who thro!gh Baptism shares in the redemption of &hrist will e#ent!ally en;oy the glory of
the 0isen Dyrios himself$ 'nd yet, St$ (a!l ne#er says that the
&hristian will, /Become lord with/ &hrist$ This is the false belief of the >ormon &h!rch$ :or there is only
8ne 7ord %es!s &hrist, CSee 1 &or 42BE, the 7ord of the dead and the li#ing$
Since %es!s did not die and rise again for *imself b!t to enable men to li#e for God, the &hristian m!st
recogniAe his sit!ation as a res!lt of this$ *e m!st not ;!dge
anyone, whether they be /weak/ or /strong$/
Gospel
>t 14221.35
St$ >atthew one of the twel#e 'postles, is the a!thor of the first Gospel$ This has been the constant
tradition of the &atholic &h!rch and is confirmed by the Gospel itself$ +t was written in his nati#e Syriac
tong!e, 'ramaic, sometime between the years ,2.50 ')$ The Gospel was translated into Greek aro!nd the
year 40$ This made the Gospel of St$ >atthew the only -ew Testament Book written in a lang!age other
than the Greek common to the people of the Empire$
+t was first written to fill a sorely felt want for his fellow.co!ntrymen, both belie#ers and !nbelie#ers$ :or
the former it ser#ed as a token of his regard and as an enco!ragement in the trial to come, especially the
danger of falling back to %!daism for the latter is was designed to con#ince them that the >essiah had
come in the (erson of %es!s &hrist, o!r Blessed 7ord, in whom all the promises of the >essianic Dingdom
had been f!lfilled in a spirit!al, rather than a carnal way2 />y Dingdom is not of this world$/
St$ >atthew9s Gospel then, answered the @!estion p!t by the disciples of St$ %ohn the Baptist, /'re yo! *e
who is to come, or shall we look for another</
>t 14221.35
(eter approached %es!s and asked him, /7ord, if my brother sins against me, how often m!st + forgi#e<
's many as se#en times</ %es!s answered, /+ say to yo!, not se#en times b!t se#enty.se#en times$
That is why the kingdom of hea#en may be likened to a king who decided to settle acco!nts with his
ser#ants$ 6hen he began the acco!nting, a debtor was bro!ght before him who owed him a h!ge amo!nt$
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$ 't that, the ser#ant fell down, did him homage, and said, 9Be
patient with me, and + will pay yo! back in f!ll$9 >o#ed with compassion the master of that ser#ant let him
go and forga#e him the loan$

6hen that ser#ant had left, he fo!nd one of his fellow ser#ants who owed him a m!ch smaller amo!nt$
*e seiAed one of his fellow ser#ants and started to choke him, demanding, 9(ay back what yo! owe$9
:alling to his knees, his fellow ser#ant begged him, 9Be patient with me, and + will pay yo! back$9 B!t he
ref!sed$ +nstead, he had the fellow ser#ant p!t in prison !ntil he paid back the debt$
-ow when his fellow ser#ants saw what had happened, they were deeply dist!rbed, and went to their
master and reported the whole affair$ *is master s!mmoned him and said to him, 9Go! wicked ser#ant=
+ forga#e yo! yo!r entire debt beca!se yo! begged me to$ Sho!ld yo! not ha#e had pity on yo!r fellow
ser#ant, as + had pity on yo!<9
Then in anger his master handed him o#er to the tort!rers !ntil he sho!ld pay back the whole debt$ So will
my hea#enly :ather do to yo!, !nless each of yo! forgi#es yo!r brother from yo!r heart$/
>atthew 14221 /Then (eter came to *im and said, /7ord, how often shall my brother offends me, and +
forgi#e him< Se#en times</
St$ (eter knew the %ews to be m!ch gi#en to re#enge he therefore tho!ght it a great proof of s!perior #irt!e
to be able to forgi#e se#en times$ +t was for this reason he proposed this @!estion to 8!r 7ord who, to
show how m!ch *e esteemed charity$ immediately answered, not only se#en times, b!t se#enty times
se#en times$ *e does not mean to say that this n!mber m!st be the bo!nds of o!r forgi#ing we m!st
forgi#e to the end, and ne#er take re#enge, howe#er often o!r brother offend against !s$ There m!st be no
end of forgi#ing poor c!lprits that sincerely repent, either in the Sacrament of (enance, or one man another
his offenses$
To recommend this great #irt!e more forcibly, he s!b;oins the parable of the king taking his acco!nts and,
from the great se#erity there e"ercised, he intimates how rigid will his hea#enly :ather be to those who
forgi#e not their enemies$.St$ )ionysi!s of &arthage$
>atthew 14222 /%es!s said to him2 + say not to yo!, till se#en times b!t se#enty times se#en$/
Till se#enty times se#en$$$That is ,50 times b!t it is p!t by way of an !nlimited n!mber, to signify we m!st
pardon pri#ate in;!ries, tho!gh e#er so often done to !s$
)r$ 0obert 6itham, one of my fa#orite 14th &ent!ry Theologians, says, /6hen o!r brother sins against !s,
we m!st grie#e for his sake o#er the e#il he has committed b!t for o!rsel#es we sho!ld greatly to re;oice,
beca!se we are thereby made like to o!r *ea#enly :ather, who bids the s!n to shine !pon the good and the
bad$/
/B!t if he tho!ght of ha#ing to imitate God alarm !s, tho!gh it sho!ld not seem diffic!lt to a tr!e lo#er of
God, let !s place before o!r eyes the e"amples of his fa#orite ser#ants$ 7et !s imitate >oses, who after a
tho!sand in;!ries, raised his fer#ent s!pplications in behalf of his people$ 7et !s imitate St$ (a!l, who,
tho!gh daily s!ffering a tho!sand afflictions from the %ews, still wished to become an anathema for their
sal#ation$ 7et !s imitate St$ Stephen, who, when the stones of his persec!tors were co#ering his wo!nds,
prayed that 'lmighty God wo!ld pardon their sin$ 7et !s follow these admirable e"amples, then shall we
e"ting!ish the flames of anger, then will o!r *ea#enly :ather grant !s the forgi#eness of o!r sins, thro!gh
the merits of o!r 7ord %es!s &hrist$/.St$ %ohn &hrysostom
>atthew 1422, /6hen he began the acco!nting, a debtor was bro!ght before him who owed him a h!ge
amo!nt$ 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$
Ten tho!sand talents$ This large amo!nt of money is p!t as an e"ample for an immense s!m$ +n this
translation, it does not mention the amo!nt, b!t in better translations St$ %erome listed ten tho!sand talents$
' talent, in ?nited States dollars wo!ld be the e@!i#alent of H3,,00 or ,,000 British (o!nds$ ' talent of
sil#er is abo!t 315 lbs$ So, with these n!merical fig!res in mind, yo! can readily get the idea this poor
ser#ant owed a great deal of money, certainly eno!gh to p!rchase a Be#erly *ills mansion and ha#e plenty
left to hire all the ser#ants$
)r$ 6itham says, /The 10,000 talents, according to some a!thors, amo!nt to 1,415,000 British Sterling
that is, 1,0,000 times as m!ch as his fellow ser#ant owed him the h!ndred pence amo!nting to not more
than 3$2 British (o!nds$
>atthew 14235 /So will my hea#enly :ather do to yo!, !nless each of yo! forgi#es yo!r brother from yo!r
heart$/
So shall my *ea#enly :ather do yo!$$$+n this parable the master is said to ha#e remitted the debt, and yet
afterwards to ha#e p!nished the ser#ant for it$ God does not in this manner with !s$ B!t we may obser#e
here, once for all, that in parables, di#erse things are only ornamental to the parable itself and a ca!tion
and restriction is to be !sed in applying them$
)r$ 6itham says, /-ot that God wo!ld re#oke a pardon once granted for this wo!ld be contrary to *is
infinite mercy, and his works are witho!t repentance$ +t means that God will not pardon, or rather that *e
will se#erely p!nish the ingratit!de and inh!manity of the man, who, after ha#ing recei#ed from God the
most liberal pardon of his grie#o!s transgressions, ref!sed to forgi#e the slightest offense committed
against him by his neighbor, who is a member, nay a son of his God$ This ingratit!de may ;!stly be
compared with the ten tho!sand talents, as e#ery grie#o!s offense committed against God, e"ceeds, in an
infinite degree, any offense against man$/
Tert!llian in the late Second &ent!ry said, /This forgi#eness m!st be real, and not pretended from the
heart and not in word and appearance only Sacrificing all desire of re#enge, all anger, hatred and
resentment, at the shrine of charity$/
+ hope yo! en;oyed the commentaries and please share with me if the sermon yo! hear at >ass mentions
anything yo! ha#e read here$
0emember to e.mail me at my e.mail, this responder is coming to yo! from my wife9s acco!nt$
God lo#e yas=
Tim