24A23.   Sirach 27:30 – 28:7   “Forgive your neighbor’s injustice; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven.  Could anyone nourish anger against another and expect healing from the Lord.”  What we ask for ourselves from God or neighbor, we ourselves should be willing to give.

Matthew 18:21-35.  Interestingly, the debtor/servant received forgiveness only once, not seventy-seven times.  Jesus’ message in this parable is be forgiving as God is forgiving, to forgive others as God has forgiven us.  God calls upon us to forgive with love from our hearts as God forgives us with love from his heart.

Romans 14:7-9.  Everything in our lives should be drawn out of the goodness that the Lord gives us.  Everything that is truly good is gift from the Lord.  Since everything that is worthwhile is from the Lord, we belong to the Lord.  Our God is both the origin and goal of our lives.  “None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself.” “We are the Lord’s.”  Our God is everything for us.