Forgiving and Giving

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to put our faith into action so that our anointing as people of grace, forgiveness, and love is visible to our community.

Assess Our Need for Forgiveness

The Reading from the Book of Ezekiel presents Acts of the Prophet, Symbolic of the Exile.

* [12:3–10] An exile’s bag contains bare necessities, probably no more than a bowl, a mat, and a waterskin. The prophet’s action foreshadows the fate of ruler and people (vv. 11–14).

* [12:5] Through the wall: mud-brick outer wall of a private home. In this symbolic action, Ezekiel represents the enemy forces, and the house wall, the city wall of Jerusalem breached by the Babylonian army.

* [12:13] Though he shall not see it: according to a Targum, an allusion to Nebuchadnezzar having Zedekiah blinded before deporting him to Babylonia (cf. 2 Kgs 25:7); according to the Septuagint, the king is ashamed of his flight from the city and disguises himself so others will not recognize him.

* [12:16] Both exiles and nations shall know that the exile is divine punishment for Israel’s betrayal of the Lord and the covenant, not evidence that the Lord is too weak to fight off the Babylonian deity. (Ezekiel, CHAPTER 12 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 78 presents a recital of history to show that past generations did not respond to God’s gracious deeds and were punished by God making the gift into a punishment.

* [78:58] Provoked him: lit., “made him jealous.”

* [78:60] Shiloh: an important shrine in the north prior to Jerusalem. Despite its holy status, it was destroyed (Ps 78:60–64; cf. Jer 7:12, 14). (Psalm 78, PSALMS | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew proclaims the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant.

* [18:21–35] The final section of the discourse deals with the forgiveness that the disciples are to give to their fellow disciples who sin against them. To the question of Peter how often forgiveness is to be granted (Mt 18:21), Jesus answers that it is to be given without limit (Mt 18:22) and illustrates this with the parable of the unmerciful servant (Mt 18:23–34), warning that his heavenly Father will give those who do not forgive the same treatment as that given to the unmerciful servant (Mt 18:35). Mt 18:21–22 correspond to Lk 17:4; the parable and the final warning are peculiar to Matthew. That the parable did not originally belong to this context is suggested by the fact that it really does not deal with repeated forgiveness, which is the point of Peter’s question and Jesus’ reply.

* [18:22] Seventy-seven times: the Greek corresponds exactly to the LXX of Gn 4:24. There is probably an allusion, by contrast, to the limitless vengeance of Lamech in the Genesis text. In any case, what is demanded of the disciples is limitless forgiveness.

* [18:24] A huge amount: literally, “ten thousand talents.” The talent was a unit of coinage of high but varying value depending on its metal (gold, silver, copper) and its place of origin. It is mentioned in the New Testament only here and in Mt 25:14–30.

* [18:26] Pay you back in full: an empty promise, given the size of the debt.

* [18:28] A much smaller amount: literally, “a hundred denarii.” A denarius was the normal daily wage of a laborer. The difference between the two debts is enormous and brings out the absurdity of the conduct of the Christian who has received the great forgiveness of God and yet refuses to forgive the relatively minor offenses done to him.

* [18:34] Since the debt is so great as to be unpayable, the punishment will be endless.

* [18:35] The Father’s forgiveness, already given, will be withdrawn at the final judgment for those who have not imitated his forgiveness by their own. (Matthew, CHAPTER 18 | USCCB, n.d.)

* [19:1] When Jesus finished these words: see note on Mt 7:28–29. The district of Judea across the Jordan: an inexact designation of the territory. Judea did not extend across the Jordan; the territory east of the river was Perea. The route to Jerusalem by way of Perea avoided passage through Samaria. (Matthew, CHAPTER 19 | USCCB, n.d.)

David Crawford comments that our perception may cause us to think we are in the right, allowing us to justify our words and actions; and then, failing to consider their side, we get angrier because they won’t apologize or show remorse. (I am reminded that no one is a villain in their own story.) If we are not careful, bitterness and resentment build. The thought of forgiveness may not even occur to us even as our relationships are damaged.

So when Peter asked his question, Jesus understood how much had built up over the years. He understood how keeping a list of grievances makes the list keeper miserable and promotes disharmony and division. How many times? Jesus told him (and us): Stop keeping track and just forgive. Jesus, through parable, reminded Peter (and us) that God has forgiven us more times than we can count, certainly more than we deserve. God loves us in spite of our shortcomings. Extend that same grace, mercy and love to those close to you. (Crawford, n.d.)

Don Schwager quotes “How often shall I forgive?” by Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD).

"When Peter asked him whether he should forgive his brother sinning against him up to seven times, the Lord replied, 'Not up to seven times but up to seventy times seven times'" In every way he teaches us to be like him in humility and goodness. In weakening and breaking the impulses of our rampant passions he strengthens us by the example of his leniency, by granting us in faith pardon of all our sins. For the vices of our nature did not merit pardon. Therefore all pardon comes from him. In fact, he pardons even those sins that remain in one after confession. The penalty to be paid through Cain was established at sevenfold, but that sin was against a man, against his brother Abel, to the point of murder (Genesis 4:8). But in Lamech the penalty was established at seventy times seven times (Genesis 4:24), and, as we believe, the penalty was established on those responsible for the Lord's Passion. But the Lord through the confession of believers grants pardon for this crime. By the gift of baptism he grants the grace of salvation to his revilers and persecutors. How much more is it necessary, he shows, that pardon be returned by us without measure or number. And we should not think how many times we forgive, but we should cease to be angry with those who sin against us, as often as the occasion for anger exists. Pardon's frequency shows us that in our case there is never a time for anger, since God pardons us for all sins in their entirety by his gift rather than by our merit. Nor should we be excused from the requirement of giving pardon that number of times [i.e., seventy times seven], since through the grace of the gospel God has granted us pardon without measure." (excerpt from ON MATTHEW 18.10) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that the Prophet Ezekiel makes a symbolic gesture and about being taken into exile in the time between his exile and when the Temple is destroyed in the later exile of his people. Ezekiel makes his point as he pretends to be fleeing from an enemy. In the Gospel the disciples ask how many times they must forgive? They suggest 7 times 7, an extension of the perfect number. but Jesus' number is infinity. The parable of the unforgiving servant means that God has forgiven us many things. We may reply “I am not as bad as some”. We don't know the extent of grace given to all. The person who is less forgiving may be missed, if my heart is already closed. Friar Jude comments that it is not that God won’t forgive me, but we need to consider my willingness to accept forgiveness.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 18:21–19:1 comments that the character in the parable who answers Peter’s question is the master. He forgives his servant “a huge amount” (Matthew 18:24) and expects that servant to be just as forgiving toward a fellow servant who owes him a much smaller amount.

Jesus is telling Peter, and telling each of us, You have already been forgiven a huge debt; you cannot put a limit on how much you are willing to forgive. You need to be as forgiving toward one another as I have been toward you.

Jesus looks on you with so much mercy that he has forgiven all your sins. He wants you to live in joy and freedom—and to joyfully and freely extend that forgiveness to everyone around you.

“Lord, help me to grasp the depth of your mercy and to be just as merciful toward those who sin against me!” (Meditation on Matthew 18:21–19:1, n.d.)

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, comments Franciscan mysticism is at heart incarnational mysticism. Theologian Ilia Delio highlights how Francis of Assisi was transformed by the radical implications of the Incarnation, including his powerful experience meeting a leper.

The leper experience was a turning point in Francis’ life. As his life deepened in God, he made a constant effort to spend himself in love by giving himself to the other…. Following the footprints of Jesus, Francis found the God of humble love not among the popular and the proud, the arrogant and the rich or those who “stand out” in society, but among the ordinary, the forgotten, the poor and sick and marginalized….

 

The simplest way to describe God’s poverty and humility is in terms of love. Love gives itself away—this is God’s poverty. Love turns toward the other so it can give itself to the other—this is God’s humility. In the Incarnation, God turns toward us through the Son/Word and gives [God’s] self to us as love. We call this gift of God’s love to us, this gift of total self-emptying love, “kenosis.” The poverty of God is the kenosis or self-emptying of the Word, the descent of the Word, from the riches of divine glory into our fragile human nature. [1] (Rohr, n.d.)

The Spirit reveals the extent of the “self emptying” love that we have experienced and nudges us to be agents of forgiveness and love to the people we have been given to develop our unconditional love.

References

Crawford, D. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Creighton Online Ministries: Home. Retrieved August 13, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-august-13-2026 

Ezekiel, CHAPTER 12 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 13, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ezekiel/12? 

Matthew, CHAPTER 18 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 13, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/18?21 

Matthew, CHAPTER 19 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved August 13, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/19 

Meditation on Matthew 18:21–19:1. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved August 13, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/08/13/1644835/ 

Psalm 78, PSALMS | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved August 13, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/78?56 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Incarnation: The Humility of God. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 13, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/incarnation-the-humility-of-god/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Lord, How Often Shall I Forgive My Brother? Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 13, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Love Repairs Relationships

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to move to restore relationships by representing our love in actions that recognize and support the needs of those from whom we have become estranged.

Love Repair Needed

The Reading from the Prophet Ezekiel describes the Slaughter of the Idolaters

* [9:4] Ezekiel emphasizes personal accountability; the innocent inhabitants of Jerusalem are spared while the idolatrous are punished. An X: lit., the Hebrew letter taw.(Ezekiel, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB, n.d.)

* [10:15–19] The throne represents God’s presence as ruler and protector of the land. In chap. 1, God is revealed as the lord of the world who can appear even in a far-off land; here God is about to abandon the Temple, that is, hand the city over to its enemies. God and the throne return again in 43:1–3.

* [10:20–22] The repetition of description from the preceding verses is a device intended to suggest the rapid, constantly changing motion of the vision and the difficulty of describing the divine in human language.(Ezekiel, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 113 proclaims God is present in the world.

* [Psalm 113] A hymn exhorting the congregation to praise God’s name, i.e., the way in which God is present in the world; the name is mentioned three times in Ps 113:1–3. The divine name is especially honored in the Temple (Ps 113:1) but its recognition is not limited by time (Ps 113:2) and space (Ps 113:3), for God is everywhere active (Ps 113:4–5) especially in rescuing the lowly faithful (Ps 113:7–9).(Psalms, PSALM 113 | USCCB, n.d.)

The Gospel of Matthew presents how to deal with A Brother Who Sins.

* [18:15–20] Passing from the duty of Christian disciples toward those who have strayed from their number, the discourse now turns to how they are to deal with one who sins and yet remains within the community. First there is to be private correction (Mt 18:15); if this is unsuccessful, further correction before two or three witnesses (Mt 18:16); if this fails, the matter is to be brought before the assembled community (the church), and if the sinner refuses to attend to the correction of the church, he is to be expelled (Mt 18:17). The church’s judgment will be ratified in heaven, i.e., by God (Mt 18:18). This three-step process of correction corresponds, though not exactly, to the procedure of the Qumran community; see 1QS 5:25–6:1; 6:24–7:25; CD 9:2–8. The section ends with a saying about the favorable response of God to prayer, even to that of a very small number, for Jesus is in the midst of any gathering of his disciples, however small (Mt 18:19–20). Whether this prayer has anything to do with the preceding judgment is uncertain.

* [18:15] Your brother: a fellow disciple; see Mt 23:8. The bracketed words, against you, are widely attested but they are not in the important codices Sinaiticus and Vaticanus or in some other textual witnesses. Their omission broadens the type of sin in question. Won over: literally, “gained.”

* [18:16] Cf. Dt 19:15.

* [18:17] The church: the second of the only two instances of this word in the gospels; see note on Mt 16:18. Here it refers not to the entire church of Jesus, as in Mt 16:18, but to the local congregation. Treat him…a Gentile or a tax collector: just as the observant Jew avoided the company of Gentiles and tax collectors, so must the congregation of Christian disciples separate itself from the arrogantly sinful member who refuses to repent even when convicted of his sin by the whole church. Such a one is to be set outside the fellowship of the community. The harsh language about Gentile and tax collector probably reflects a stage of the Matthean church when it was principally composed of Jewish Christians. That time had long since passed, but the principle of exclusion for such a sinner remained. Paul makes a similar demand for excommunication in 1 Cor 5:1–13.

* [18:18] Except for the plural of the verbs bind and loose, this verse is practically identical with Mt 16:19b and many scholars understand it as granting to all the disciples what was previously given to Peter alone. For a different view, based on the different contexts of the two verses, see note on Mt 16:19.

* [18:19–20] Some take these verses as applying to prayer on the occasion of the church’s gathering to deal with the sinner of Mt 18:17. Unless an a fortiori argument is supposed, this seems unlikely. God’s answer to the prayer of two or three envisages a different situation from one that involves the entire congregation. In addition, the object of this prayer is expressed in most general terms as anything for which they are to pray.

* [18:20] For where two or three…midst of them: the presence of Jesus guarantees the efficacy of the prayer. This saying is similar to one attributed to a rabbi executed in A.D. 135 at the time of the second Jewish revolt: “…When two sit and there are between them the words of the Torah, the divine presence (Shekinah) rests upon them” (Pirqê ’Abôt 3, 3). (Matthew, CHAPTER 18 | USCCB, n.d.)

Michele Bogard is not surprised that the students she works with avoid conflict like the plague.

How we experience people is so critical in our relationship with God. One of my favorite quotes is by St. Ignatius. “Love ought to show itself in deeds more than words”. (I’m writing this reflection on the feast of St. Ignatius – a special day for someone who has worked at a Jesuit school for a quarter of a century). Today’s Gospel reminds us that we do not stop trying to be in communion with one another. We forgive. If we don’t heal that relationship, we try again. We enlist assistance. We have patience in those interactions and keep doing the work to support one another in our journeys.

So, for me that means having awkward conversations. It means helping students lean into that tension and calling people into dialogue. It means not avoiding the situation or amplifying it on social media. It means listening through all the noise nowadays.

How do you show God’s love to one another especially when you are wronged? How do you show that love in deeds? (Bogard, 2026)

Don Schwager quotes “If someone has done you injury,” by Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD).

"If someone has done you injury and you have suffered, what should be done? You have heard the answer already in today's scripture: 'If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone.' If you fail to do so, you are worse than he is. He has done someone harm, and by doing harm he has stricken himself with a grievous wound. Will you then completely disregard your brother's wound? Will you simply watch him stumble and fall down? Will you disregard his predicament? If so, you are worse in your silence than he in his abuse. Therefore, when any one sins against us, let us take great care, but not merely for ourselves. For it is a glorious thing to forget injuries. Just set aside your own injury, but do not neglect your brother's wound. Therefore 'go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone,' intent upon his amendment but sparing his sense of shame. For it might happen that through defensiveness he will begin to justify his sin, and so you will have inadvertently nudged him still closer toward the very behavior you desire to amend. Therefore 'tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother,' because he might have been lost, had you not spoken with him. " (excerpt from Sermon 82.7) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that in Ezekiel, the six meet who will write a Hebrew tau like an “x” on the forehead of those unfaithful to the Law of Moses. In Revelation, the tau is Greek, like a cross. Ezekiel realizes that the very holiness of God has departed from the Temple until it is rebuilt. One resolves a difficulty in the community in a procedure that is explained in the Gospel. The unresolved action results in excommunication. It is intended to recognize that actions and words have separated one from the community. The power of binding and losing is recognized by the rabbi and later applied to Reconciliation. Friar Jude implores us to seek to pray as an act of community and reconciliation and an action of love and bonding together.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Matthew 18:15-20 comments that the process Jesus describes in this reading is more than just a formula or a set of steps; it reveals his desire that we do everything we can to bring about unity and reconciliation—and his readiness to help us.

Take some time in prayer today asking God to reveal to you just one of your relationships that is lacking in unity. Then ask the Holy Spirit to give you the wisdom to try to work toward repairing it. Trust that Jesus will be in your midst as you do. Even when things are hard and our relationships are not at peace—especially then—Jesus promises to be present: with his grace, with his wisdom, with his love. You don’t have to have it all together in order for him to make his presence known. This is a promise we can hold on to!

“Lord, help me to remember you are always with me, especially in difficult relationships. Give me the grace of unity and reconciliation.”(Meditation on Matthew 18:15-20, n.d.)

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Clare of Assisi who provided spiritual counsel to Bohemian princess Agnes of Prague. She recommends praying before images of the cross: Franciscan friar and author Dan Riley (1943–2024) reflects on Clare’s second letter to Agnes and describes this experiential form of prayer as “Franciscan Lectio”.

For Clare, Francis, and their followers, what we call “Lectio” always moves toward actio—the loving and healing action, the merciful movement toward justice. This is spherical in nature, out from the Crucified One in Christ, before whom you and I sit. She brings us into this sphere of love, around the axle—the primal tree.…

 

St. Bonaventure points to us a certain way of prioritizing “coming to know,” which involves placing ourselves in a place where we might learn more than to know…. In other words, this kind of knowing causes wonder to rise up from our hearts instead of dualism or certainty from our minds. To learn is to enter activity, even if it is dark or unclear or veiled or obscured. You and I journey in trust before the crucifix, a mirror for our lives. We come with our questions. We can be honest and real. (Rohr, n.d.)

We implore the Spirit to enkindle in our heart the Love of God that opens the path through which we move to repair relationships that have been damaged in family and community.

References

Bogard, M. (2026, August 12). Daily Reflection August 12, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved August 12, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-august-12-2026 

Ezekiel, CHAPTER 10 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 12, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ezekiel/10? 

Ezekiel, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 12, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ezekiel/9? 

Matthew, CHAPTER 18 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 12, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/18? 

Meditation on Matthew 18:15-20. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved August 12, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/08/12/1644269/ 

Psalms, PSALM 113 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved August 12, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/113?1 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Sacred Reading: A Pathway to Connectivity. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 12, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/sacred-reading-a-pathway-to-connectivity/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). If Your Brother Sins against You. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 12, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Kingdom of Childlike Greatness

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary, today, the Memorial of Saint Clare, Virgin, present contrast between childlike lifestyle and “adult” understanding of “greatness”.

Care for Our Sheep

The Reading from the Prophet Ezekiel reveals a terrible truth that has a sweet taste.

* [3:3] As sweet as honey: though the prophet must foretell terrible things, the word of God is sweet to the one who receives it. (Ezekiel, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB, n.d.)

Psalm 119 praises God for giving such splendid laws and instruction for people to live by

* [Psalm 119] This Psalm, the longest by far in the Psalter, praises God for giving such splendid laws and instruction for people to live by. The author glorifies and thanks God for the Torah, prays for protection from sinners enraged by others’ fidelity to the law, laments the cost of obedience, delights in the law’s consolations, begs for wisdom to understand the precepts, and asks for the rewards of keeping them. (Psalms, PSALM 119 | USCCB, n.d.)

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus presents The Greatest in the Kingdom and The Parable of the Lost Sheep.

* [18:1] The initiative is taken not by Jesus as in the Marcan parallel (Mk 9:33–34) but by the disciples. Kingdom of heaven: this may mean the kingdom in its fullness, i.e., after the parousia and the final judgment. But what follows about causes of sin, church discipline, and forgiveness, all dealing with the present age, suggests that the question has to do with rank also in the church, where the kingdom is manifested here and now, although only partially and by anticipation; see notes on Mt 3:2; 4:17.

* [18:3] Become like children: the child is held up as a model for the disciples not because of any supposed innocence of children but because of their complete dependence on, and trust in, their parents. So must the disciples be, in respect to God.

* [18:10–14] The first and last verses are peculiar to Matthew. The parable itself comes from Q; see Lk 15:3–7. In Luke it serves as justification for Jesus’ table-companionship with sinners; here, it is an exhortation for the disciples to seek out fellow disciples who have gone astray. Not only must no one cause a fellow disciple to sin, but those who have strayed must be sought out and, if possible, brought back to the community. The joy of the shepherd on finding the sheep, though not absent in Mt 18:13 is more emphasized in Luke. By his addition of Mt 18:10, 14 Matthew has drawn out explicitly the application of the parable to the care of the little ones.

* [18:10] Their angels in heaven…my heavenly Father: for the Jewish belief in angels as guardians of nations and individuals, see Dn 10:13, 20–21; Tb 5:4–7; 1QH 5:20–22; as intercessors who present the prayers of human beings to God, see Tb 13, 12:15, . The high worth of the little ones is indicated by their being represented before God by these heavenly beings. (Matthew, CHAPTER 18 | USCCB, n.d.)

Vivian Amu comments that greatness is not about taking up the most space or being the most recognized, or doing the most; it is about making room for child-like wonder, humility, and having the kind of heart that still knows how to receive. The best leaders know this. The best and holiest people around us know this. Saint Clare knew this.

Saint Clare did not chase greatness, yet greatness found her in her courage, clarity, and quiet authority. She came from privilege, and she could have used her life to secure comfort, admiration, and influence. Instead, she chose a different kind of life—a life stripped down for the sake of love. She wanted Christ without the clutter, and the freedom of belonging completely to God. She invites us to become the kind of people who do not need to dominate a room in order to change it.

Maybe the invitation today is to be more discerning about the strange things the world keeps offering us to consume—status, comparison, a desire to be preferred, fear, noise—and to become a little more like children—open, unpretentious, humble, interested, curious, willing to reach, willing to believe in ideas that fall by the wayside as we get older, willing to be lifted up, willing to be found, ready to be amazed, ready to receive, and maybe like Saint Clare, with a desire to help others see more clearly, and a willingness to let go of what is not essential. The heart becomes, little by little, what it consumes. Many of us are just trying to matter. Many of us are tired of comparing, proving, and managing how we appear. Jesus keeps drawing us away from all that strain. He does not ask us to be impressive. We do not have to be the greatest. We do not have to have everything figured out. (Amu, 2026)

Don Schwager quotes “What it means to become a child a God,” by Epiphanius the Latin (late 5th century)

"Here the Lord not only repressed the apostles' thoughts but also checked the ambition of believers throughout the whole world, so that he might be great who wanted to be least. For with this purpose Jesus used the example of the child, that what he had been through his nature, we through our holy living might become - innocent, like children innocent of every sin. For a child does not know how to hold resentment or to grow angry. He does not know how to repay evil for evil. He does not think base thoughts. He does not commit adultery or arson or murder. He is utterly ignorant of theft or brawling or all the things that will draw him to sin. He does not know how to disparage, how to blaspheme, how to hurt, how to lie. He believes what he hears. What he is ordered he does not analyze. He loves his parents with full affection. Therefore what children are in their simplicity, let us become through a holy way of life, as children innocent of sin. And quite rightly, one who has become a child innocent of sin in this way is greater in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives such a person will receive Christ." (excerpt from INTERPRETATION OF THE GOSPELS 27) (Schwager, n.d.)

Friar Jude Winkler comments that Ezekiel has a vision of being given a scroll and he eats it. It is possible Ezekiel has a mental illness but, in his time, this may have been considered as being touched by God. The taste of the Word becomes sour. The Word is often proclaimed with sweetness but we find the response to be unacceptable to us. In the Gospel we are called by using the example of children, to become humble, trusting, simple, and without motivations that are not fitting for followers of Christ. Traditionally “their little one” was pointing to the guardian angel to guide us and call us to conversion. The habit of giving the Guardian Angel a name raises a concern about a helper like a pet but we realize God protects us even through spiritual beings. Friar Jude observes that 99 argues about the focus to the broken one who needs the most attention. We all, at one time, need the personal attention of Jesus to bring us back again.

The Word Among Us Meditation on Ezekiel 2:8–3:4 comments that if we can see that a loved one is on the brink of making a bad decision. Do you say something? If so, what and how?

The key to knowing how to respond is in consuming God’s word on a daily basis. As we “eat” his word, it begins to form us. Our minds and hearts are changed, and we start to see things the way the Lord does. The Scriptures can help us begin to grasp God’s thoughts and share in his love for his people. Instead of considering it a harsh message, we can find the sweetness in communicating with love a message that will be for the good of our hearers.

So spend time reading God’s word. Let it change you. Listen for his direction in situations when you’re not sure which way to go. Let his love guide your words when you don’t know how to stand up for what is right—even if it means being direct. You can find the sweetness that Ezekiel tasted as he proclaimed the Lord’s word. And that sweetness can sustain you, just as it did for him!

“Lord, help me to welcome your word so that I can find sweetness in speaking the truth in love.” (Meditation on Ezekiel 2:8–3:4, n.d.)

Father Richard Rohr, OFM, introduces Sister Margaret Carney who tells of the radical trajectory of Clare of Assisi’s life, who left behind wealth and social standing under cover of night in exchange for a simple life devoted to God. In one of Clare’s letters, we sense the depth of her contemplative life.

Place your mind before the mirror of eternity! Place your soul in the brilliance of glory! Place your heart in the figure of the divine substance, and through contemplation, allow your entire being to be transformed into the image of the Godhead itself, so that you may feel what friends feel, and taste the hidden sweetness that God has reserved for His lovers. [2]

This profound quote, that could only emerge as a fruit of contemplation, along with her very frequent use of the mirror metaphor in her writings, communicates to me that Clare experientially understood prayer as an actual transformation of the self, a reflected glory, even daring to speak of “allowing your entire being to be transformed into the image of the Godhead itself.” This was surely not common Catholic language in the Western Church at that time and would have seemed presumptuous or even heretical to many (as it may even seem today).

Clare directly expresses what the Eastern Church held onto under the name of divinization (theosis). Theosis was understood as a true, objective sharing and growing in our divine nature, which was then reflected and received in humans as in a mirror. All we can really do is polish our own mirror to reflect the gift of this Godself more perfectly. Thus the objectively given “image” at our conception becomes subjective “likeness” over time, building on the foundational metaphors that we were created in both the image and the likeness of God. [3] (Rohr, n.d.)

We call upon the Holy Spirit to guide our practice of “greatness” as children anointed with Baptismal vocations as priest, prophet, and leader in our communities to be examples of fullness of life in Christ.

References

Amu, V. (2026, August 11). Daily Reflection August 11, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved August 11, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-august-11-2026 

Ezekiel, CHAPTER 3 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved August 11, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ezekiel/3 

Matthew, CHAPTER 18 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved August 11, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/18? 

Meditation on Ezekiel 2:8–3:4. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved August 11, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/08/11/1643649/ 

Psalms, PSALM 119 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved August 11, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/119?14 

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Saint Clare of Assisi: Reflecting the Image of God. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved August 11, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/saint-clare-of-assisi-reflecting-the-image-of-god/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Who Is the Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved August 11, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/