Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent March 1, 2005 Scripture: Daniel 3:25, 34-43; Matthew 18:21-35 Reflection: Forgiveness is gift, pure and simple. The more we are aware of our need for forgiveness, the more we realize the overwhelming love of God for us as shown in the master’s response in today’s Gospel reading. For no reason other than compassion, he completely forgives his servant’s entire debt. Forgiven one debt, the servant incurs another — the happy debt of gratitude, to be repaid within relationships with other human beings. Though forgiveness is personal, because of its effects in our lives it is also always communal, affecting everyone around us. Even in ordinary human experience, the wholeness, the peace we experience when reconciled with a friend through forgiveness colors the entire day and touches everyone we meet. In treating his fellow servant so harshly, the servant short-circuited the giveand- take of reconciliation and forgiveness. In the prayer Jesus taught us, our forgiveness of others is made the condition of our own receiving of mercy: “Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” In the act of forgiving others, we are forgiven. The measure of our forgiveness of others is God’s forgiveness of us. Suggested Action: Spend some serious time reflecting on the appropriate words from the Our Father. Sr. Beverly Hmel, IHM Altoona, Pennsylvania