Parts of words have something like fire in them.  The key to today’s reading comes from the word “forgive.” The word has the root, “give”and the prefix, “for.” The prefix comes from the Latin foris meaning “outside.” Those who speak Spanish will recognize the wordfuera, which has the same meaning.  

What does “forgive,”mean?  Simply this.  Take the feelings of pain, resentment, frustration, sadness, fear, etc., which you feel when someone was mean to you and “give them outside yourself.”This is just like saying, “Let go.” It means this: I no longer give permission to someone else to have power over me by the resentment that lingers in my heart.  Forgiveness really has nothing to do with whether the other has apologized or not; that would make my peace of heart depend upon the other.  Forgiveness is up to you, prompted by the grace of God.

Matthew 18:21-35

Check out Study Tools in BibleGateway.
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in Matthew Henry’s Commentary.‘s Commentary.

In Year A, we continue to read from the Gospel of St. Matthew.

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