Readings
for
15 September 2002
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Today's First Reading is from The Book of Sirach, beginning at the 27th Chapter and the 30th Verse (Sir 27:30-28:9):

        Anger and wrath, these also are abominations, and the sinful man will possess them.  He that takes vengeance will suffer vengeance from the Lord, and he will firmly establish his sins.   Forgive your neighbor the wrong he has done, and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray.   Does a man harbor anger against another, and yet seek for healing from the Lord?  Does he have no mercy toward a man like himself, and yet pray for his own sins?  If he himself, being flesh, maintains wrath, who will make expiation for his sins?  Remember the end of your life, and cease from enmity, remember destruction and death, and be true to the commandments.  Remember the commandments, and do not be angry with your neighbor; remember the covenant of the Most High, and overlook ignorance.   Refrain from strife, and you will lessen sins; for a man given to anger will kindle strife,  and a sinful man will disturb friends and inject enmity among those who are at peace.

 Today's Song of Praise is taken from Psalm 103 (Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12):

R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.

Bless the LORD, O my soul;
and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul,
and forget not all his benefits.

R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.

He pardons all your iniquities,
heals all your ills.
He redeems your life from destruction,
he crowns you with kindness and compassion.

R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.

He will not always chide,
nor does he keep his wrath forever.
Not according to our sins does he deal with us,
nor does he requite us according to our crimes.

R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.

For as the heavens are high above the earth,
so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west,
so far has he put our transgressions from us.

R. The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion.

Today's Epistle is from the Letter of Paul to the Romans, beginning at the 14th Chapter, and the 7th Verse (Rom 14:7-9):

        None of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's.   For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

+ A Reading from the Gospel of Matthew, beginning at the 18th Chapter, and the 21st Verse (Mt 18:21-35):

        Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?"  Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.   "Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants.  When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents;  and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made.  So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, `Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.'  And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt.  But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, `Pay what you owe.'  So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, `Have patience with me, and I will pay you.'  He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt.  When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place.  Then his lord summoned him and said to him, `You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me;  and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?'  And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt.  So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."

Sermon
for
15 September 2002
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

        Anger is one of the Seven Deadly Sins, and one the culture of the late 20th and early 21st centuries seems to revel in.  It is OK to scream at people, OK to go into road rage, OK to be a terrorist or hate terrorists, OK to be a lawyer.

        A great deal of the anger we experience nowadays is based on fear -- fear of terrorists, fear of people who are different, fear of change.  In the half-century or so that I can remember, there has been more change (and, I admit, mostly for the better) than in all of previous history together.

        It is also based on grasping -- selfishness, wanting "mine" (as I understand it) -- unwillingness to give or to help others, even if we have been helped.  The angry servant of today's Gospel who owed 10,000 talents -- a huge sum, likely hyperbole -- turns and abuses his debtor, who only owes a measly few dollars.

        The fruits of selfishness and anger are, as the First Reading says:  "...abominations, and the sinful man will possess them."  Anger is a sin, and "...a sinful man will disturb friends and inject enmity among those who are at peace. "

        St. Paul shows us the way out of this vicious tangle of anger and selfishness:  "None of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord; so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's."

        As he says in another context:  "...not I, but Christ in me."  We are to give ourselves to the Lord, empty ourselves of the spite, anger, and grasping that come with sin and error.  And when we open ourselves, Christ has a chance to flood through us, to lead us to salvation, to make us agents of His peace.

        Let us then, with the Psalmist, sing:

        "The Lord is kind and merciful,
        slow to anger, and rich in compassion.

        Bless the LORD, O my soul;
        and all my being, bless his holy name.
        Bless the LORD, O my soul,
        and forget not all his benefits"

        And pray that we may forgive and be forgiven . . .

In the Name of the Father +
And of the Son +
And of the Holy Spirit +
Amen.

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