COME BACK TO ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART (Daniel 3:2,11-20/Psalm 25:4-9/Matthew 18:21-35)

COME BACK TO ME WITH ALL YOUR HEART

(Tuesday March 26, 2019)

The liturgy of today presents us with the attributes of prayer, confession of sins and forgiveness. As we pointed out at the beginning of this season that these attributes are among the leading elements that characterize the Lenten season. It is through prayer that we present not only our needs and problems to God but also through it, we ask for forgiveness.

The first reading begins with a prayer and confession of sins. Azariah stood in the heart of the fire, and he began to pray: Oh! Do not abandon us forever, for the sake of your name; do not repudiate your covenant, do not withdraw your favour from us, for the sake of Abraham, your friend, of Isaac your servant, and of Israel your holy one, to whom you promised descendants as countless as the stars of heaven and as the grains of sand on the seashore. Lord, now we are the least of all the nations, now we are despised throughout the world, today, because of our sins. We have at this time no leader, no prophet, no prince, no holocaust, no sacrifice, no oblation, no incense, no place where we can offer you the first-fruits and win your favour. But may the contrite soul, the humbled spirit be as acceptable to you as holocausts of rams and bullocks, as thousands of fattened lambs: such let our sacrifice be to you today, and may it be your will that we follow you wholeheartedly, since those who put their trust in you will not be disappointed. And now we put our whole heart into following you, into fearing you and seeking your face once more. Do not disappoint us; treat us gently, as you yourself are gentle and very merciful. Grant us deliverance worthy of your wonderful deeds, let your name win glory, Lord.” (Dan 3;25,34-43).

Before coming with his petition, Azariah knew that God never changes or disappoints those that put their trust in Him. He came before the Lord with faith, with a heart filled with remorse for their sins and with a mind ready to confess. It is true that we are facing challenges and different kinds of problems. This is the time to kneel down and pray like Azariah. Let us not be afraid of coming close to God. Let us open ourselves and pour out our minds to Him in faith.

The gospel, on the other hand, presents how important it is to forgive others since we all are full of imperfections and in need of God's forgiveness and mercy. The servant whom the master cancelled all his debts was termed a wicked servant because of his failure to extend the hand mercy and forgiveness he received from his master to his colleague who owed him little token comparing to the one he owed the master that pardoned him.

We may not strain our imaginations to understand this gospel because a good number of us are like that. It may not be on the level of forgiveness. It could be on the part of being charitable considering all the gratuitous gifts we received from God. It may be on the level of showing love to one another as God loves us exceedingly by giving us His only begotten Son for our salvation. Let us pray for the strength to be prayerful at all time, in season and out of season. Let us pray for the strength and grace of confessing our sins in order to appear before God with a clear conscience, pure hearts and minds. Finally, we have to pray for the spirit of forgiveness. Let us forgive one another as God forgives us in Christ.

Let Us Pray: Lord Jesus, give me grace to forgive those who have offended me and may I ask forgiveness from those I have offended. Amen