Twenty-Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Forever Forgiving?

We all recognize the Gospel for this weekend—how many times must we forgive? Jesus turns it around once again to LOVE—forgive your brother from your heart. How often?  Forever!

Who is forgiveness for? I have been thinking and praying about this for a long time. Is there anything that can’t be forgiven? Is forgiveness based on conditions? I’ll forgive you if….I must admit that for a long time I waited for others to ask for my forgiveness. I was so hurt and so demanding of someone else to make it right.  I wanted justice.

And then I realized that I needed to be the one to forgive. Why?  Because I realized that not to forgive to is harbor anger, resentment, bitterness, and a heavy spirit. I realized that the words on a poster were true: “Forgiveness is unlocking the door to set someone free and realizing you were the prisoner.” Forgiveness is not for others.  It’s for me! Forgiving isn’t forgetting. Forgiveness gives rise to new life when the anger, resentment, and bitterness are given up for the sake of peace that helps us to be resilient in the face of anything that happens to us. Is there anything that can’t be forgiven? When we know and experience deeply God’s grace of forgiveness, we also gain the capacity to forgive. Then we can experience the gift of freedom that comes from forgiving others.