“Forgiveness is not an occasional act; it is a permanent attitude.” –Martin Luther King Jr.
Peter asks how many times he has to forgive someone who has wronged him and Jesus answers with a number much higher than Peter would have liked. It is hard to forgive, but what if God were to limit his forgiveness? We are all beneficiaries of God’s unlimited mercy, and Jesus tells us to pass on this blessing.
Forgiveness does not justify bad behaviors or support evil deeds, but rather brings liberation from storing mistakes in our hearts. We may still be wounded, but we live with the uniqueness of each other, and must do our best to forgive when we disagree.
Who in your life needs forgiveness? Are you holding grudges? What can you do to work towards forgiving them?
Let us open our hearts today, ready to forgive not seven times, but seventy times seven!
For additional reading: Today’s Gospel: The Parable of the unforgiving Servant, Meaning of "forgive"
