Readings: Sirach 27:30-28:7; Romans 14:7-9; Matthew 18:21-35
Forgiveness is a Christian Imperative!
1. Last Sunday, we reflected briefly on why we should forgive those who wrong us. We saw that when we forgive, we do ourselves a favor. Today’s readings warn against hoarding our hurts. The first reading states, “Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight. The vengeful will suffer the Lord’s vengeance, for he remembers their sins in detail.” It urges us to “Forgive your neighbor’s injustice; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven.”
2. Christ demonstrated, throughout his teachings, that forgiveness is an absolute to attaining well-being and healing. One of the best teachings of Christ on forgiveness is the parable of the prodigal son in Luke’s Gospel 15: 11-32. The main character in the story is the father. Lk 15:20 says, “His father caught sight of him and was filled with compassion. He ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.” The father who was wronged was the one who ran to his son, not withholding affection from him. He treated him as if he had never left. Forgiveness is about making room for the weakness of others. We must find a reason to forgive others as Christ did, praying for his executioners: “Father, forgive them for do not know what they are doing.” Christ was able to do this because he always saw the good in people. He saw an opportunity to lift those who sinned and worked for their salvation. He pursued good in people despite the situation he found them.
3. When the apostles asked Jesus to teach them how to pray, he taught them the ‘Our Father.’ At the end of the prayer, he added, “Unless you forgive, your heavenly father will not forgive you your trespasses.” A Christian believer must learn to forgive others in return for God’s forgiveness. Christ made this point clear in the parable of the unforgiving servant (the gospel.) He concluded the parable with this punch line: “So will my heavenly Father do to you unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.” Forgiving others is a necessary part of receiving forgiveness ourselves. Christ would always forgive the sins of the sick before healing them. Why? It is because sickness was tied to the sinfulness of the sick person. man, the story of the man born blind in John 9:2, “His disciples asked him, Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Forgiveness was, therefore, necessary for healing.
4. Forgiveness is closely linked with our prayers being answered. The absence of the same indicates that prayers will neither be heard nor answered. The gospel of Mark tells us to point blank: “When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance, so that your heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions.” (Mark 11:25-26). Without forgiveness and peaceful co-existence among brothers and sisters in the faith community, the offerings and sacrifices made to God are entirely worthless. Matthew’s gospel reads, “If you bring your gift to the altar and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” (Mt. 5:24-25). Forgiveness is a response to God’s forgiveness. Because we are forgiven, we must learn, encourage, live, practice, and teach forgiveness. The first reading asks, “Could anyone nourish anger against another and expect healing from the Lord? Could anyone refuse mercy to another like himself? Can he seek pardon for his own sins? If one who is but flesh cherishes wrath, who will forgive his sins?”
5. Even though forgiveness is complicated and difficult, we must ask God for help. Forgiveness will be impossible on our own, but with God, all things are possible. We are entirely healed when we can forgive. We must live a life of forgiveness because our time together is too short. Let me conclude with this short story that I am sure most of you have heard before. “A young lady sat in a bus. A loud, grumpy old lady came and sat by her at the next stop. She squeezed into the seat and bumped her with her numerous bags. The person sitting on the other side of the young lady got upset and asked her why she did not speak up and say something. The young lady responded with a smile: “It is not necessary to be rude or argue over something so insignificant; the journey together is so short. I get off at the next stop.”
6. If each one of us realized that our time here is so short that to darken it with quarrels, futile arguments, not forgiving others, discontentment, and a fault-finding attitude would be a waste of time and energy. Did someone break your heart? Be calm; the journey is too short. Did someone betray, bully, cheat, humiliate, and make life unbearable for you? Don’t worry; be calm, pray, forgive, and move on; the journey is too short. Whatever trouble someone or nature throws at you, remember, and tell yourself the journey is too short. No one knows the duration of the journey but God alone. So, let us cherish friends and family. Let us be respectful, kind, and forgiving to each other. Let us be filled with gratitude and gladness. If I have hurt you, please forgive me. If you have hurt me, you already have my forgiveness. After all, our journey together is so short. May God bless our journey together. Amen.
Rev.
Augustine Etemma Inwang, MSP
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