First Reading (Ezekiel 12:1-12)
Reading from the Prophecy of Ezekiel.
The word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, you are living among a rebellious people. They have eyes to see, but they do not see; they have ears to hear, but they do not hear; for they are a rebellious people. As for you, son of man, prepare for yourself an exile’s baggage in broad daylight, in their sight. You will emigrate from where you are, in their sight, to another place. Perhaps they will realize that they are a rebellious people. You must take out your baggage in broad daylight, in their sight, as if it were an exile’s baggage. But you must go out in the evening, in their sight, as if you were going into exile. In their sight you must dig a hole for yourself in the wall, and you must go out through it; you must carry your baggage on your back and bring it out in the dark. You must cover your face so that you cannot see the land, for I have made you a sign to the house of Israel.” So I did as I was told. I took out my baggage in the daytime, as if it were an exile’s baggage; In the evening I made a hole in the wall with my hand. I went out in the dark, carrying the stuff on my back, in front of them. In the morning the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, did not the house of Israel, the rebellious people, ask you what you were doing? Tell them: This is what the Lord God says: This oracle concerns the prince in Jerusalem and the whole house of Israel who is in the city. Say: I am a sign to you. Just as I have done, so it will be done to them: They will go into exile as captives. The prince who is among them will carry the stuff on his back and go out in the dark. They will make a hole in the wall to go out through it. The prince will cover his face so that he cannot see the land with his eyes.”
– The word of the Lord.
– Thanks be to God.
Gospel (Matthew 18:21-19:1)
Proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew.
— Glory to you, Lord.
At that time, Peter approached Jesus and asked: “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother if he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. For the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. When he began to settle accounts, one was brought to him who owed him a large sum of money. Since the servant had nothing to pay, his master ordered him to be sold as a slave, along with his wife and children and everything he owned, and to pay off the debt. But the servant fell at his master’s feet and begged him, ‘Just wait a while, and I will pay you back. ‘ When the master had compassion on him, he released the servant and forgave him the debt. As he was leaving, that servant found one of his fellow servants who owed him only a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe. ‘ His fellow servant fell at his feet and begged him, ‘Just wait a while, and I will pay you back. ‘ But the servant would have none of it. He went out and had him thrown into the dungeon. imprisoned until he should pay back what he owed. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were very sad, and they went to their master and told him everything. Then the master summoned him and said to him, “You wicked servant! I forgave you all your debt because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had compassion on you?” The master was angry and handed the servant over to the torturers until he should pay back all his debt. This is how my Father in heaven will do to you if each of you does not forgive his brother from his heart.” When Jesus had finished these words, he left Galilee and came to the territory of Judea beyond the Jordan.
— Word of the Savior.
— Glory to you, O Lord.
Reflecting the Word of God
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Imagine for a moment that you are watching a play. The stage is dark, and suddenly a beam of light illuminates a lonely man. He is packing his belongings, preparing for a journey. But there is something different about this scene. The man is blindfolded, carrying his luggage blindly, groping his way out of his home. This surreal and disconcerting image is exactly what God asks the prophet Ezekiel to do in our first reading today.
“Son of man,” says the Lord to Ezekiel, “Pack your exile’s baggage and leave in broad daylight, in their sight.” What an extraordinary request! God is transforming the prophet’s life into a living theater, a silent drama that screams a powerful message to a people who refuse to listen.
But why this elaborate staging? Ezekiel gives us the answer: “For they are a rebellious house.” The people of Israel had become spiritually blind and deaf. They had eyes, but they refused to see; they had ears, but they refused to hear. They were so numb in their rebellion that words were no longer enough. A dramatic gesture, a living parable, was needed to shake their slumbering souls.
How often have we become that “rebellious house”? How often have we closed our eyes to inconvenient truths, closed our ears to God’s calls that challenge us to step out of our comfort zone? Perhaps, like the people of Israel, we need an Ezekiel in our lives—someone or something to shake us out of our spiritual complacency.
But Ezekiel’s message is not just a wake-up call; it is also a call to change. God does not desire the destruction of his people, but their transformation. The baggage of exile that Ezekiel carries is not just a symbol of judgment, but of hope. It is a reminder that sometimes we need to leave behind the familiar, the comfortable, to find new life in God.
And this is where our Gospel reading beautifully intertwines with Ezekiel’s message. Peter approaches Jesus with a question we have all asked at some point: “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Peter probably thought he was being generous. After all, the rabbinical tradition of the time suggested forgiving three times. Peter doubled that and added one more. Seven, the number of perfection in Jewish tradition. Surely that would be enough, right?
But Jesus’ response is breathtaking: “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” Jesus is not suggesting that we keep a tally and stop forgiving at the 491st offense. He is saying that forgiveness should be limitless, just as God’s love for us is limitless.
To illustrate this point, Jesus tells the parable of the unmerciful servant. A man who owed an astronomical amount—ten thousand talents, a sum that would take several lifetimes to repay—is forgiven his debt. But instead of letting this incredible grace change his heart, he immediately goes out and demands payment of a much smaller debt from a fellow servant.
This parable is a mirror to our souls. How often do we act like this unmerciful servant? Have we received God’s unlimited forgiveness—a debt we could never repay on our own—and yet we refuse to extend that same grace to others?
Forgiveness, my brothers and sisters, is not an option for the Christian. It is the very air we breathe in the Kingdom of God. It is the essence of the gospel. Christ died on the cross not only to forgive our sins, but to empower us to be agents of forgiveness in a hurting and divided world.
But forgiveness is not easy. Sometimes it seems impossible. The wounds are too deep, the pain is too intense. This is where the imagery from Ezekiel speaks to us again. Just as the prophet had to step out of his comfort zone, blindfolded and carrying his baggage, sometimes we need to take steps of faith in the dark when it comes to forgiveness.
Forgiveness does not mean denying the hurt or pretending the offense never happened. It does not necessarily mean restoring a relationship to the way it was before. Forgiveness is a decision, an act of will aligned with God’s will. It is choosing to release another from the debt they owe us, just as God has released us from our debt to Him.
And here is the wonderful paradox: when we forgive, we are the ones who are set free. Resentment, bitterness, the desire for revenge—these are all weights that bind us, heavy baggage that keeps us from moving forward on our spiritual journey. Forgiveness is the key that unlocks these chains.
Imagine for a moment that you are Ezekiel, carrying your baggage, blindfolded. Each step is an act of faith, trusting that God is leading you even when you can’t see the path ahead. Forgiveness is like that. Sometimes we can’t see how it will be possible, we don’t know where it will lead us. But we take that step of faith, trusting that God will lead us.
And as we take those steps of forgiveness, something wonderful begins to happen. Our hearts, once hardened like the “rebellious house” of Israel, begin to open. Our spiritual eyes, once blind, begin to see the world in a new way. We begin to see others not as enemies or threats, but as brothers and sisters, all in need of God’s grace.
Forgiveness is transformative. Not just for the one forgiven, but especially for the one who forgives. It is a reflection of God’s character in us. It is a powerful witness in a world that often feeds on hatred and division.
So, my dear brothers and sisters, I challenge you today. Who are the people in your life that you need to forgive? What baggage of hurt and resentment are you carrying that needs to be let go of? Maybe it’s a family member who has deeply hurt you. Maybe it’s a coworker who has betrayed you. Or maybe it’s yourself, struggling to accept God’s forgiveness for something you’ve done in the past.
Take that step of faith today. Like Ezekiel, you may feel like you’re walking blindly. But remember: you are not alone. The same God who guided Ezekiel, the same Christ who taught Peter about unlimited forgiveness, is with you every step of the way.
And as you forgive, watch as your own life is transformed. Watch as the weight is lifted from your shoulders. Watch as your spiritual vision clears, allowing you to see the world and the people around you through the compassionate eyes of Christ.
May we be a community marked by radical forgiveness. May our lives be a living testimony to God’s transforming grace. May we, like Ezekiel, be willing to step out of our comfort zone, trusting that God is leading us to a new life of freedom and love.
And may the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
