This week's readings Week of Sept. 15 - 21 Sunday, Sept. 15, 2002 Reading I: Sir 27:30--28:9 Reading II: Rom 14:7-9 Gospel: Mt 18:21-35 Monday, Sept. 16, 2002 Reading I: 1 Cor 11:17-26, 33 Gospel: Lk 7:1-10 Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2002 Reading I: 1 Cor 12:12-14, 27-31a Gospel: Lk 7:11-17 Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2002 Reading I: 1 Cor 12:31-13:13 Gospel: Lk 7:31-35 Thursday, Sept. 19, 2002 Reading I: 1 Cor 15:1-11 Gospel: Lk 7:36-50 Friday, Sept. 20, 2002 Reading I: 1 Cor 15:12-20 Gospel: Lk 8:1-3 Saturday, Sept. 21, 2002 Reading I: Eph 4:1-7, 11-13 Gospel: Mt 9:9-13 Pope's Prayer Intentions September General Intention That young people may have strong and wise teachers of the faith: That children and youth in Catholic schools may be provided with strong and wise educators to help them develop their faith and their healthy attitudes toward life. September Mission Intention Full reconciliation of the Korean people: That the Holy Spirit may use ecclesial Communities to help the two States of the Korean peninsula rediscover the deep reasons for the reconciliation they are embracing.

How many times?:
Forgive from your heart

		Word of God  Word of Life  Fr. John G. Stillmank

In human beings intersect the material world of what can be seen and the spiritual world of what cannot be seen. In human beings meet the finite and the infinite, the mortal and the immortal, the created and the divine.

"Do not waste the time and the energy in your life holding grudges, but forgive from your heart. 'Forgive, forgive, forgive!' Jesus says. Don't hold back."

Often when we reflect on this reality, we see the limitedness of the material, the finite, the mortal, the created. We, human beings, are always searching for more money and possessions, more time, more experience, more of the world. And yet we recognize that gathering more to ourselves does not give us more of what we seek: life.

"None of us lives for oneself," teaches Saint Paul, "and no one dies for oneself. For if we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord; so then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord's." We human beings, who are the intersection of the material world with the spiritual world, find our true life in the Lord who created us that way.

Readings for 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Sept. 15) Sirach 27:30--28:9 Psalm 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12 Romans 14:7-9 Matthew 18:21-35

Our everyday lives are filled with experiences that remind us that this life, in this world, is a limited one. Friends and relatives die. We run out of time to do the things we want. Our money can only go so far. Our energy can only do so much. We are limited - and yet we are wasteful.

Wasteful! We have only so much time and we use it unwisely; only so much money, and we use it carelessly; only so much life, and we spend it as if there would always be another tomorrow.

Think of a person in your life who needs your forgiveness. Think of someone who needs to forgive you. There won't always be another tomorrow to mend that broken relationship. Tomorrow will come, and the chance may be gone.

Jesus taught that forgiveness can be a powerful intersection of the spiritual, the infinite, the immortal, the divine with our earthly human life. He teaches unlimited forgiveness! "Not seven times but seventy-seven times!" Do not waste the time and the energy in your life holding grudges, but forgive from your heart. "Forgive, forgive, forgive!" Jesus says. Don't hold back.

When we forgive out of the love in our hearts, we are most like God who teaches us to forgive. With his divine love in our hearts and lives, we really become that intersection between the things of God and the things of the world - we become most human.

How many times should we forgive? There seems to be no limit in Jesus' mind, if we forgive from our hearts as we should, fulfilling that image and likeness of God which we are. We are unique in being both flesh and spirit, and especially in the opportunity to allow the Spirit of God which is within us to direct us in all things, especially by living for God when we, like him, forgive always.

Fr. John G. Stillmank is Moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Madison and pastor of St. Andrew Parish, Verona, and St. William Parish, Paoli.