Epistle Reading – Romans 14:1-12
Do Not Judge Another
14 As for the man who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not for disputes over opinions. 2 One believes he may eat anything, while the weak man eats only vegetables. 3 Let not him who eats despise him who abstains, and let not him who abstains pass judgment on him who eats; for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Master is able to make him stand.
5 One man esteems one day as better than another, while another man esteems all days alike. Let every one be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 He who observes the day, observes it in honour of the Lord. He also who eats, eats in honour of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God; while he who abstains, abstains in honour of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 None of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 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. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11 for it is written,
“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
and every tongue shall give praise[to God.”
12 So each of us shall give account of himself to God.
Gospel Reading – Matthew 18:21-35
Forgiveness
21 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?” 22 Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.
The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant
23 “Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24 When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents] 25 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. 26 So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ 27 And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28 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.’ 29 So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you.’ 30 He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. 31 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. 32 Then his lord summoned him and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; 33 and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ 34 And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers till he should pay all his debt. 35 So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”
| Article Romans 14.1–12 & Matthew 18.21–35 Living with Mercy, Not Judgement Paul reminds us that Christian community is built not on uniformity, but on mercy. People will differ in their convictions, their habits, their strengths, and their weaknesses and that’s normal. What matters is how we treat one another. Judgement shrinks the heart; mercy makes space for others to grow. Paul’s words are gentle but firm: welcome one another, honour one another, and remember that each of us belongs to the Lord. Jesus deepens this teaching with the parable of the unforgiving servant. The servant receives extraordinary mercy a debt beyond imagining is wiped clean and yet he refuses to offer even a small measure of kindness to someone else. The warning is clear: when we forget the grace we’ve received, we become harsh with others. But when we remember God’s patience with us, forgiveness becomes possible, even when it’s costly. Every Sunday, when we gather for worship, we stand together as people who have been shown mercy. We don’t come as judges, but as forgiven and loved disciples learning to live that forgiveness out loud. Kick‑Start for the week: Choose one place where you can replace judgement with mercy a person you find difficult, a situation where you’ve been critical, or a moment where you’ve held onto resentment. Offer one small act of grace this week: a softened tone, a kind assumption, or a willingness to let something go. |
Prayer of the Week
Lord of mercy, teach us to welcome others as you welcome us. Soften our hearts where they have grown hard and help us to choose forgiveness over judgement. Guide us in the way of grace this week and make us people who reflect your compassion. Amen.
Revd Dean
