Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost, Tone 2; Post-feast of the Transfiguration; Holy Confessor Emilian, Bishop of Cyzicus (815)
1 Corinthians 9:2-12; Matthew 18:23-35
Dormition Fast
Read Matthew 18:23-35
There are two versions of the “Our Father” in the New Testament: the one in the Gospel of Matthew (6: 9-13) and a shorter version in the Gospel of Luke (11: 2-4). In both cases Jesus is teaching His disciples how to pray. The “Our Father” that we normally say is a combination of the two. It would not be wrong to sometimes pray the “Our Father” as it is in Matthew and then at other times pray the “Our Father” that is in Luke.
The version in Matthew has the following, unique phrase not found in Luke: “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” You could say that today’s parable in the Gospel of Matthew is a commentary on that short phrase of the “Our Father” in Matthew.
Does someone owe you money? Has someone not returned an item that belongs to you? Let it go. Jesus has paid for your eternity. You can never pay Him back.