Resources, Prayers, Games, and Lesson Plans
More Thoughts and Reflection Questions
Quotes and Social Media Graphics
Mass Readings for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
- First Reading – Sirach 27:30—28:7: Wrath and anger are condemned, while forgiveness of others is commended. Remember mortality and God’s commandments, setting aside enmity and overlooking faults.
- Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 103: Bless the Lord for his kindness and mercy. He pardons iniquities, heals ills, and redeems lives. His compassion is vast, putting transgressions far away from those who fear him.
- Second Reading – Romans 14:7-9: Whether living or dying, we belong to the Lord. Christ’s death and resurrection affirm that he is Lord of both the living and the dead, and our lives should reflect that.
- Gospel – Matthew 18:21-35: Jesus teaches about forgiveness using a parable of a servant forgiven a huge debt but who then refuses to forgive a smaller debt. The master, angry at this hypocrisy, punishes him. Jesus warns that we must forgive others wholeheartedly.
Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive? As many as seven times?
Matthew 18:20
Themes for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
The readings for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time for Year A focus on mercy and forgiveness. In the first reading we are told we must forgive each other for “wrath and anger are hateful things”. The psalm reminds us that God shows us mercy. The second reading tells us to live for Christ instead of ourselves. And in the gospel Jesus tells parables about mercy and tells Peter that we must forgive “seventy times seven” times.
- Boundless Forgiveness: In response to Peter, Jesus showcases the idea that forgiveness knows no bounds. He highlights the importance of unlimited forgiveness.
- Mercy Illustrated: The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant draws a sharp contrast between the master’s mercy and the servant’s lack of it. This vividly shows the significance of being merciful to others.
- Debt and Divine Mercy: The passage employs the concept of debt metaphorically to emphasize God’s immense forgiveness. It encourages us to contemplate this divine mercy.
- Mutual Forgiveness: The parable’s principle of “forgive as you wish to be forgiven” highlights the link between our readiness to forgive and God’s forgiveness towards us.
- Compassion vs. Judgment: The tension between the master’s compassion and eventual judgment underscores that our compassion towards others directly influences the mercy we receive from God.
- Genuine Forgiveness: Jesus concludes by stressing heartfelt forgiveness. It goes beyond mere words and actions, demanding a true internal transformation. Forgiveness and letting go require substantial effort.
- Spiritual Acts of Mercy: The themes of “Forgive Injuries” and “Bear Wrongs Patiently” align well with Matthew 18:21-35. Forgiving injuries connects with the parable’s message of limitless forgiveness, while enduring wrongs resonates with compassion and the balance between judgment and mercy.
See the Homilies and Reflections section and the More Thoughts section for further expansion on these readings and some reflection questions for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A.
Resources for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
Modern Day Version of The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
God Wants Me to Forgive Them? VeggieTales Episode
Resources for the Book of Sirach
Modern Day Version of The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
The 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A features Jesus’ Parable of the Unforgiving Servant. Its historical context of servitude may be unfamiliar to today’s youth. To make it relatable, a retelling casts a soccer team captain named Mike, echoing the parable’s themes. This modern adaptation helps youth grasp forgiveness’s essence. The provided discussion prompts guide introspection on challenging forgiveness situations and receiving forgiveness. The focus is on healing and letting go of grievances, aligning with the parable’s core message. The challenge encourages teens to evaluate their lives, prompting them to release resentment and seek reconciliation.
Forgiveness Flowers Craft
The 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A features the gospel from Matthew 18:21-35. This Forgiveness Flowers craft corresponds beautifully with the teachings of the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant. Crafting each petal to mirror the lesson of mercy and compassion from the scripture, it vividly illustrates the message that forgiveness is an ongoing practice. The king’s mercy in the parable reflects our call to generously extend forgiveness. This craft serves as a gentle reminder of this biblical teaching, aiding both children and adults in internalizing and applying this vital principle in their daily lives.
The Spiritual Works of Mercy
The Spiritual Works of Mercy, which include forgiving injuries and bearing wrongs patiently, align with the message of the Gospel for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A (Matthew 18:21-35). In this Gospel, Jesus teaches about forgiveness through the parable of the Unforgiving Servant. Jesus underscores the importance of wholehearted forgiveness, emphasizing the connection between the Gospel message and the practice of the Spiritual Works of Mercy.
Divine Mercy Chaplet
The Gospel for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, Matthew 18:21-35, presents a parable about forgiveness. Jesus tells the story of a servant who is forgiven a substantial debt but then refuses to forgive a smaller debt owed to him. The master’s response to this lack of mercy teaches a valuable lesson on the importance of forgiving others. This passage encourages us to embrace forgiveness and extend the same mercy that God shows us. The Chaplet of Divine Mercy is a devotion that highlights God’s mercy and the significance of our compassionate actions towards others.
Praise the Goodness of God
This prayer, inspired by Psalm 103, the responsorial psalm for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, reflects on God’s goodness and mercy. It acknowledges forgiveness, comfort during challenges, and the transformative impact of God’s presence. The prayer highlights how God’s love surpasses human understanding, encompassing strengths, weaknesses, failures, and shame. It emphasizes the profound nature of God’s love and the plea for salvation.
Resources for the Book of Sirach
The First Reading for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A is from Sirach 27:30—28:7. This passage highlights the harmful nature of anger and the importance of forgiveness. It encourages letting go of anger and seeking pardon for our own sins by extending mercy to others. The text also emphasizes remembering our mortality and ceasing from sin. The Book of Sirach, composed in the 2nd century BCE, blends various literary styles and provides timeless wisdom on ethics, relationships, and virtues. It offers practical guidance for ethical living and spiritual growth, addressing relevant questions and concerns that resonate with today’s world.
Resources for Paul’s Letter to the Romans
The Second Reading for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time is Romans 14:7-9. It emphasizes that we live and die for the Lord, as Christ is Lord of both the living and the dead. Romans presents Paul’s argument for Christ’s supremacy and salvation through faith. It counters doctrines centered on works, emphasizing the balance between freedom and responsibility. Romans encapsulates profound theological concepts, guiding us to explore faith, grace, and salvation’s intricacies in historical and contemporary contexts.
Resources for the Gospel of Matthew
The Gospel Reading for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time is Matthew 18:21-35. In this passage, Peter asks Jesus about forgiveness, and Jesus responds that forgiveness should be given not just seven times, but seventy-seven times. Jesus then tells a parable about a king who forgives a servant’s enormous debt but the same servant refuses to forgive a smaller debt owed to him. The king punishes the servant for his lack of mercy. The Gospel of Matthew teaches us essential lessons. Love, forgiveness, and serving others are central to our faith, as seen in Jesus’ teachings. His example calls us to be compassionate and merciful. The parable emphasizes the importance of forgiving others, as God forgives us.
Homilies and Reflections for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
A Parable of Unforgiveness (Jeff Cavins)
Forgiveness (Fr. Mike Schmitz)
Hugging Anger (Bishop Robert Barron)
Fr. Mike Schmitz discusses the Christian teaching of forgiveness, explaining that it’s a decision, not a feeling, and doesn’t mean you’re no longer hurt or have to trust the person again. This reflection covers how forgiveness is about releasing others from their debts to you, allowing for personal freedom and growth with God’s grace. This video could spark a discussion about the gospel for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A.
Hugging Anger
Bishop Robert Barron’s homily for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A emphasizes the themes of anger, vengeance, and forgiveness, as seen in the Book of Sirach. He illustrates how humans cling to old resentments, leading to conflicts on personal and global levels. Contrasting the destructive nature of revenge, he advocates forgiveness as the antidote. Barron encourages his listeners to take concrete steps towards healing broken relationships, following the example of God’s boundless forgiveness, and to let go of long-held grudges, thus promoting a path of love and reconciliation.
Make Sure You are in Need of Forgiveness
In his homily for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A, Fr. Richard Rohr emphasizes the importance of understanding and needing mercy to give it to others. Drawing on personal experiences as a jail chaplain and referencing the Gospel, he highlights that those who have felt the pain of guilt and been forgiven can truly empathize and forgive others. He advises recognizing one’s need for forgiveness daily, not as self-degradation but as a means to connect with God’s infinite mercy, stressing that understanding the suffering of others leads to true forgiveness.
The Debt We Owe
Scott Hahn reflects on the teachings of mercy and forgiveness in the Christian faith for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A. He emphasizes that while humans often harbor anger, Christ urges forgiveness, highlighting the command to forgive seventy times seven times, symbolizing infinite mercy. Hahn connects this with the notion that we have been purchased by Christ’s blood, and our forgiveness toward others should be a sincere expression of gratitude for the mercy shown to us. He encourages setting aside judgments and conflicts, focusing on forgiveness, and living in anticipation of Christ’s kindness and compassion.
More Thoughts for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
Embracing Forgiveness and Empathy
The First Reading for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A from Sirach 27:30—28:7 provides a stern warning about the dangers of wrath, anger, and vengeance. It portrays these emotions as chains that bind us and are contrary to the will of God. It is a call to recognize these feelings as human but to actively overcome them through forgiveness and empathy. By letting go of anger, we open our hearts to God’s healing grace, allowing ourselves to be channels of His love and mercy.
The text further emphasizes our shared human condition, urging us to see ourselves in others. How can we withhold mercy from someone like ourselves? We must extend compassion and understanding to others, recognizing the innate human dignity in everyone. It challenges us to mirror our own needs and desires in others, thus acting with mercy and love.
Lastly, the reading from Sirach urges us to remember God’s covenant and commandments. This isn’t a simple rulebook but a way of living that reflects God’s love and mercy. It requires a daily commitment to overlook faults, seek reconciliation, and truly love our neighbors. The reading from Sirach inspires us to align our lives with these principles, striving to create a world where forgiveness and empathy are not just virtues but our very way of life.
Understanding Forgiveness
The parable of the Unforgiving Servant in the Gospel for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A (Matthew 18:21-35) conveys a significant lesson about forgiveness. Though the details of slavery and debt bondage may seem distant, the core message resonates with contemporary readers: God’s mercy is abundant, and we must pass that mercy on to others. Just as the king forgives the servant’s debt, we too have been forgiven by God, and we are called to extend that same grace to others.
The parable takes a serious turn when the forgiven servant fails to show mercy to another. This harsh act is met with severe consequences, reflecting a spiritual truth: If we do not forgive others, we risk losing the grace we have received. The Gospel calls Catholics to be mindful of how we treat others, recognizing that our actions reflect our relationship with God. Forgiveness is not optional but a necessary expression of our faith.
Lastly, the Gospel challenges the tendency to quantify or limit forgiveness. Peter’s question about how many times to forgive is answered by Jesus with a call to unlimited mercy. God’s forgiveness is not constrained by numbers or conditions; it’s a boundless grace that transforms us. For Catholics, this is a reminder to approach others with the same unlimited compassion and forgiveness, reflecting God’s own boundless love in our daily lives.
The Essence of Forgiveness
Forgiveness is central to the readings for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A. Both readings convey that forgiveness is not merely a personal virtue but a spiritual principle deeply intertwined with our relationship with God. It’s depicted as a path towards healing and grace, rather than a sign of weakness or concession. As we forgive others, we reflect God’s infinite mercy and open ourselves to His healing love.
The readings highlight the reciprocal nature of forgiveness: our willingness to forgive others is connected to the forgiveness we receive from God. In Sirach, we are urged to forgive others if we wish to be forgiven by the Lord. Similarly, in Matthew’s Gospel, the king’s forgiveness of the servant’s debt is conditioned on the servant’s willingness to forgive others. This theme calls on us as Catholics to recognize forgiveness as a two-way street, a mutual exchange that reflects our understanding of God’s mercy.
The readings collectively summon us to embrace forgiveness as a way of life. Whether it’s overcoming anger and vengeance as in Sirach or learning from the parable’s harsh lesson about the consequences of withholding mercy, the message is clear: we must be as merciful as God is. For Catholics, this is not just a moral guideline but a profound spiritual calling to live our lives in a way that mirrors the very nature of God. This embodiment of forgiveness fosters compassion, empathy, and a deeper connection with our divine Creator.
Reflection Questions for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
- Reflect on a time when anger or vengeance controlled your actions. How did this affect your relationship with others and with God? How can you work to overcome these emotions in the future?
- How do you practice empathy and compassion in your daily life? How can recognizing the innate human dignity in others help you to be more forgiving and understanding?
- What steps are you taking to align your life with the principles of forgiveness and empathy as depicted in the reading from Sirach? How do you actively overlook faults and seek reconciliation?
- Consider the parable of the Unforgiving Servant. How does your own forgiveness (or lack thereof) towards others reflect your relationship with God? What might you change in your approach to others?
- How do you relate to Jesus’ call for unlimited mercy? How can you strive to reflect God’s boundless forgiveness in your daily interactions?
- Reflect on the interconnectedness of forgiveness between God and others. How does your willingness to forgive shape your spiritual life? What steps can you take to truly embody forgiveness as a way of life?
- How can you further embrace forgiveness, compassion, and empathy in your daily routine to mirror the nature of God? What practices might you adopt to foster a deeper connection with the divine?
Quotes and Social Media Graphics for the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Year A
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