Gospel: August 14, 2025
August 14, 2025 (Thursday)
19th Week in Ordinary Time
Psalter: Week 3 / (Red)
St. Maximilian Mary Kolbe, priest and martyr
Ps 114:1-2, 3-4, 5-6
Alleluia
1st Reading: Joshua 3:7-10a, 11, 13-17
Gospel: Matthew 18:21—19:1
Then Peter asked him, “Lord, how many times must I forgive the offenses of my brother or sister? Seven times?” Jesus answered, “No, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. As the man could not repay the debt, the king commanded that he be sold as a slave with his wife, his children and all his goods, as repayment. This story throws light on the kingdom of Heaven: A king decided to settle accounts with his servants. Among the first of them was one who owed him ten thousand pieces the feet of the king and said, ‘Give me time, and I will pay you back everything.’ The king took pity on him, and not only set him free, but even canceled his debt.
When this servant left the king’s presence, he met one of his fellow servants, who owed him a hundred pieces of silver. He grabbed him by the throat and almost choked him, shouting, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ His fellow servant threw himself at his feet and begged him, ‘Give me time, and I will pay everything.’ But the other did not agree, and sent him to prison until he had paid all his debt. Now the servants of the king saw what had happened.
They were extremely upset, and so they went and reported everything to their lord. Then the lord summoned his servant and said, ‘Wicked servant, I forgave you all that you owed me when you begged me to do so. Weren’t you bound to have pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?’ The lord was now angry. He handed the wicked servant over to be punished, until he had paid the whole debt.” Jesus added, “So will my heavenly Father do with you, unless you sincerely forgive your brothers and sisters.”
When Jesus had finished these sayings, he left Galilee and arrived at the border of Judea, on the other side of the Jordan River.
Reflection:
“Not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”
Saint Maximilian Kolbe quoted Saint Thérèse of Lisieux in his writings at length. He took to heart her teaching on mutual forbearance as an essential quality of a love that is patient and forgiving. From early childhood, Saint Thérèse had a great impact on Maximilian’s life, encouraging him to love deeply in the ordinary things of life. His loving zeal led him to do extraordinary things under the patronage of the Mary Immaculate, as a Franciscan missionary in China, as a preacher, writer and Christian publisher, challenging the horrors of Nazism.
This eventually led him to be arrested and taken to Auschwitz where he gave his life to save another who was selected for execution by starvation. Just as God let the Israelites walk dry-shod across the river Jordan, so did he reveal his power in Maximilian’s life. Saint Maximilian is described as a martyr of charity, imitating the self-giving love of Christ. As Maximilian wrote, “Love with all your being, with all your will.” Saint Peter asks, “Lord, how many times must I forgive the offenses of my brother or sister? We are called to imitate God’s loving forgiveness, just as Maximilian did, to the last.
