Sunday, August 16, 2026 | 11th Sunday of Matthew | A Call to Forgiveness

This Sunday, the Gospel brings us one of Christ’s clearest and most challenging teachings on forgiveness.

In the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, a man is forgiven an enormous debt by his king, yet immediately refuses to extend the same mercy to another person who owes him far less. Christ uses this parable to remind us that the extraordinary mercy we receive from God must transform the way we treat one another.

Forgiveness does not mean pretending that we were never hurt. It does not excuse wrongdoing or make injustice acceptable. Instead, forgiveness means refusing to allow resentment, bitterness, and vengeance to control our hearts.

A Message from Fr. Michael

Dearly Beloved Faithful in the Lord:

Today’s Gospel presents one of the clearest teachings of our Lord about forgiveness. Christ tells us of a servant who owed his king an enormous debt, a debt so great that he could never repay it. When he begged for mercy, the king did something extraordinary: he forgave the entire debt.

This king is an image of God. The impossible debt represents our sins. No amount of good works could erase the burden of our separation from God. Yet through His love, revealed perfectly in the Cross and Resurrection of Christ, God freely offers forgiveness to all who repent.

But the story does not end there.

The forgiven servant immediately encounters a fellow servant who owes him a comparatively small amount. Instead of showing the same mercy he had received, he demands payment and has the man imprisoned. The servant who had been forgiven much refuses to forgive little.

This is where the Gospel confronts each of us.

We all know what it is to be hurt. Some wounds are deep. Some betrayals leave lasting scars. The Church never asks us to pretend that evil is good or that injustice did not happen. Forgiveness is not denying the pain, nor is it approving of another’s wrongdoing. Rather, forgiveness is refusing to let resentment rule our hearts. It is placing judgment into God’s hands instead of trying to carry it ourselves.

In every Divine Liturgy we pray, “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” These are not empty words. We ask God to measure His mercy toward us by the mercy we extend to others.

The Fathers of the Church remind us that the person who refuses to forgive remains spiritually imprisoned. Anger, bitterness, and vengeance become chains around the heart. Forgiveness, however difficult, begins to break those chains. It opens the soul to the healing grace of the Holy Spirit.

The sacramental life of the Church teaches us this continually. Before approaching Holy Communion, we are called to be reconciled with one another. In the Mystery of Confession, we experience God’s boundless mercy so that we may become people who show mercy.

The saints did not forgive because it was easy. They forgave because they knew how much Christ had forgiven them. Standing before the Cross, they understood that no offense committed against them could compare with the mercy God had poured out upon the world.

Today, Christ asks each of us:

• Is there someone I refuse to forgive?

• Is there bitterness I continue to nourish?

• Have I accepted God’s mercy for myself while withholding mercy from another?

These questions are not meant to condemn us but to invite us to freedom.

If forgiving feels impossible, we need not begin with feelings. We begin with prayer:

“Lord, give me the desire to forgive. Heal my heart. Help me entrust this person and this situation to You.”

Over time, God’s grace accomplishes what our own strength cannot.

May we leave this holy temple remembering that every breath we take is sustained by God’s mercy. Having received such an immeasurable gift, let us become instruments of that same mercy in our homes, our workplaces, and our communities.

Then the world will see not merely people who speak about Christ, but people whose lives reflect His compassion, His patience, and His forgiving love.

Prayerfully yours,

+Fr. Michael

This Sunday’s Scripture Readings

Prokeimenon — Mode 2

Psalm 117:14, 18

“The Lord is my strength and my song.”

Verse: “The Lord has chastened me sorely.”

Epistle Reading

St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians 9:2–12

St. Paul speaks about his apostleship and the sacrifices made for the Gospel. He uses the examples of a soldier, a farmer tending a vineyard, and a shepherd caring for a flock to explain that those who labor should rightfully share in the fruits of their work.

Yet St. Paul explains that he willingly chose not to exercise every right available to him. Instead, he was willing to endure hardship so that nothing would become an obstacle to the Gospel of Christ.

His words invite us to consider what we ourselves are willing to sacrifice so that our lives may better proclaim Christ.

Gospel Reading

Matthew 18:23–35

Our Lord tells the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant.

A king begins settling accounts with his servants and encounters a man carrying a debt so enormous that he cannot possibly repay it. The servant begs for patience and mercy. Moved with compassion, the king does far more than grant additional time: he releases the servant and forgives the entire debt.

But the forgiven servant encounters another man who owes him a much smaller amount. Despite having just experienced extraordinary mercy himself, he refuses to show mercy to his fellow servant.

When the king learns what happened, he confronts the servant for accepting forgiveness while refusing to forgive another.

Christ concludes with a sobering reminder that forgiveness must come from the heart.

The Gospel asks us to recognize the immeasurable mercy God has shown us and then allow that mercy to flow through us into our relationships with others.

Living the Gospel: Forgiven People Forgive

Forgiveness can be one of the most difficult parts of Christian life.

Christ does not tell us that wounds are insignificant. Some hurts are profound, and reconciliation does not always mean that a relationship immediately returns to what it once was.

But we are called to surrender our desire for vengeance and judgment to God.

The unforgiving servant had experienced mercy, but he had not allowed that mercy to change his heart.

That is the challenge for us this week.

We receive God’s mercy repeatedly through prayer, repentance, Confession, the Divine Liturgy, and the sacramental life of the Church. Having received so much mercy ourselves, Christ asks us to become instruments of that same mercy.

When forgiveness seems impossible, we can begin simply by praying for the willingness to forgive.

Lord, heal my heart and teach me to forgive as You have forgiven me.

Did You Know?

Incense and the Image of God

Have you ever wondered why the priest censes the people during Orthodox worship?

The bulletin reminds us that incense has deep roots in worship. In the Temple of Jerusalem, incense was offered as a visible sign of the prayers of God’s people rising toward Him:

“Let my prayer rise like incense before You.” — Psalm 141:2

This practice continues in the Orthodox Church.

When the priest censes the Holy Altar and the icons and then turns and censes the faithful, there is beautiful meaning behind the action. The priest is honoring the image of God within each person and acknowledging Christ’s presence among His people.

We do not only incense objects that are holy. We also recognize the sacred dignity of the people created in God’s image.

Upcoming Special Service

Feast of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist

Saturday, August 29, 2026

Orthros — 9:00 AM

Divine Liturgy — 10:00 AM

We invite our Holy Trinity family to join us as we commemorate the Feast of the Beheading of the Holy and Glorious Prophet, Forerunner, and Baptist John.

August Birthdays

We wish a very happy and blessed birthday to our parishioners celebrating this month!

August 1 — Larry Efstathiades

August 1 — Gary Spangler

August 4 — Angie Rizzo

August 6 — Nestor Tsimpedes

August 8 — Azariah Mullis

August 9 — Angela Scena

August 10 — Richard Arnoux

August 10 — Amelia Constance

August 11 — Mary Pappas

August 14 — Nate Baker

August 17 — Vlasios Gergis

August 19 — Rose Climan

August 20 — George Annis

August 21 — Margeaux McCarthy

August 26 — Joanne Hetzel

August 26 — Stefanos Loisou

August 28 — Popy Athanas

August 28 — Gregory Ifantides

August 29 — Helen Campbell

August 31 — Elaine Sklom

May God grant you many years! Χρόνια Πολλά!

August Anniversaries

We also celebrate the couples marking their wedding anniversaries this month:

August 9 — Dean & Helen Raptakis

August 20 — Larry & Maria Efstathiades

August 27 — David & Elpida Pardi

August 28 — Leonard & Nilda Moustakas

May God continue to bless and strengthen your marriages for many years!

Join Us at Holy Trinity

We invite you and your family to worship with us at:

Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church

24411 Rampart Blvd.

Port Charlotte, FL 33980

Phone: 941-629-3888

V. Rev. Dr. Michael Bahlatzis, Protopresbyter

Presiding Priest-Proistamenos

Divine Liturgy — Sundays at 10:00 AM

Whether you have been Orthodox your entire life, are returning to the Church, or simply want to learn more about the ancient Christian faith, you are welcome at Holy Trinity.

May we enter this new week remembering how abundantly we have been forgiven and asking Christ for the grace to extend that same mercy to others.

Christ is in our midst! He is and ever shall be. ☦️