The Old Testament reading for today comes from Ecclus. 36:1-17. It reflects an enormously important milestone in ethical development, one that may have occurred in the writer's community long before he wrote the scriptures that we read today.  It is apparent that he resented other nations, that perhaps he even hated them. But he does not rant about his desire to harm them himself, to enjoy a sort of vengeful violence against those who harmed him and his community. Instead, he leaves that to God.

The Gospel reading comes from Matt. 18:21-35. It's a commandment about forgiveness, followed by the parable of the unforgiving servant.  The message is clear: we are not merely to leave vengeance to God--we are to abandon it altogether. Doing otherwise jeopardizes our relationship with God.

How are we to go from where we are (oriented towards vengeance, even to taking matters into our own hands) to leaving vengeance to God and then abandoning vengeance altogether.  The New Testament reading for today is 1 Cor. 12:27-13:13. It's the miraculous power of love: there is no other way. Without it, all of our other striving and achievement is meaningless.