Today’s the 24rd Sunday in Ordinary Time.

Find the Mass Readings here: 24rd Sunday in Ordinary Time, September 17, 2017

My takeaway:

#MyMassTakeaway: "The Lord is kind and merciful, slow to anger, and rich in compassion." . This response gave me all the good feelings today. Until it hit me who was doing the talking. It was David, the Psalmist, an Old Testament character. . He lives in a different world than I do. His understanding of the "Lord" is not quite the same as what comes to mind for me. . I prayed this response with the "I-died-for-you," "forgive-him-seventy-times-seven-times" Jesus on my mind. . But David didn't know Jesus yet. He wasn't revealed at his time in history. No, the "Lord" he was referencing was the first person of the Trinity: God the Creator. . The "kick-them-out-of-Eden" God. The "send-a-flood," "fire-and-brimstone," "forty-extra-years-in-the-desert" God. . THIS is the slow to anger God? . How did such a prayer rise to David's lips? How did he not perceive God as the hot-tempered, quick-to-punish, anger-flaring God I so often see when I read the Old Testament? . Because David is humble. David KNOWS the weight of his own sins. He knows that he owes God an infinite debt. David knew that God's anger was well-deserved. That God would be justified in obliterating every human from the face of the earth to satisfy His justice if He so desired. . But God chose to give His people life. To keep forgiving them and watching over them, despite all their offenses against Him. To promise them the Savior. . This is the reality check I needed today. I need to remember that the ever-forgiving Jesus of the New Testament is the SAME God as the justice-exacting Creator of the Old Testament. The only difference? My place in history. My perspective. . And since forgiveness comes so easy to us today – pop into confession, list my sins, say three Hail Marys, boom – I sometimes lose my healthy sense of guilt. I forget the weight of my sins before God. . Today, I allow David's words to reawaken my knowledge of my infinite offense before God. And my awe at God's infinite goodness and mercy. He is indeed slow to anger and rich in compassion.

A post shared by To Jesus Sincerely (@tojesussincerely) on Sep 17, 2017 at 3:33pm PDT

Thoughts from my blogging friends:

Today's Gospel talks about forgiveness. Jesus says to forgive someone seventy-seven times. In marriage there are many opportunities for forgiveness (let's just say daily). One of the beautiful parts of marriage is living in a spirit of forgiveness and seeing that other person as they really are – a child of God. That's why we pray for the grace of the sacrament and look to God as our model of forgiveness and mercy. Pope Francis in his Angelus Address today said, "The Lord is full of love and He wants to offer it to us, but he cannot do so if we close our hearts to loving others." We can have hearts that forgive easily the wrongs others commit against. As Christians we have the unique opportunity to share the Father's merciful love with others, especially starting in our own home. #mymasstakeaway #catholiclifestyle #catholicsofinstagram #forgiveness #goodgoodfather #sacramentofmarriage #livingthegospel #shereadstruth #popefrancis #marriedlife #glorifygod #mercifullove #catholicinsta #sundaygospel #sundayscripture #wordofgod

A post shared by Bethany Swanson (@strengthenmyheart__) on Sep 17, 2017 at 8:59am PDT

You know those Sundays when you go to church and hear EVERYTHING you need to hear??? Yea, today is one of those days! I am just so full of joy right now. My reflection is too big to share here, but I will just leave y'all with this: Go love one another as Christ has loved you! ❤ #happysunday . . . . . #jesuslover #love #serve #christian #christianblogger #catholic #catholicblogger #God #Jesus #church #mysundaybest #mymasstakeaway #daughterofgod #amazinggrace #salvation #forgiveness

A post shared by Mrs. Andy Answers (@mrs.andy_) on Sep 17, 2017 at 12:13pm PDT

Unforgiveness is one of the biggest obstacles to the physical and interior healing God desires for us. From today's first reading: "Could anyone nourish anger against another and expect healing from the LORD?" #mymasstakeaway #massmoments #sundaymass #healing #forgiveness

A post shared by Kristin Bird (@ymkbird) on Sep 17, 2017 at 12:43pm PDT

This guy just altar served for the last time at our Parish in Colorado. So proud of him and his reverence. I must be doing something right to be so blessed with my beautiful boys. #saintpaulparish #altarserver #livingfaith #mysundaybest #mymasstakeaway #blessed

A post shared by Jessica Kong (@pinotnoirprayers) on Sep 17, 2017 at 11:59am PDT

He has forgiven you. Don't forget to forgive yourself. #ionlyholdgrudgesagainstme #mercygoesbothways #mymasstakeaway #mysundaybest

A post shared by Ginny Kochis (@ginnykochis) on Sep 17, 2017 at 4:48pm PDT

Taking home a passionate homily today on the gospel reading from Matthew 18:21-35 "Lord, how many times shall I forgive…" The main point of Fr. Paul's homily was that with great inflicted wounds forgiveness is a very hard task, it takes a great amount of courage and grace to ask God to help tear down the walls we built around the wound, the safety walls, the I -don't -want-to-go-there wall, the you-have-to-pay-for-it wall. It might seem safe, but the wall cuts God out as well and there will be no true healing possible. You can be honest: Lord, I don't want to forgive, I can't, but please make me be willing to be willing! . A few weeks ago I was pondering over forgiveness and was thinking of Jesus' agony, of the fact that He had to absorb all sin, all evil – past, present and future- with such compassion, without a trace of negativity, had to be done perfectly… Our Jesus… . . #MyMasstakeaway #thewordofgod #drawclosertogod #lovegod #godinspired #openjourney #religiousart #christianart #biblejournaling #faith #faithjournal #art #ingridblixt #TB2G #forgive

A post shared by Ingrid Blixt (@ingridblixt) on Sep 17, 2017 at 9:18pm PDT

Your turn:

I want to know your Mass takeaway too! Comment with your thoughts on the readings, your pastor’s homily, or anything that struck you during your time at Mass.