At times, it may be easy to stray from God’s path and fall into the clutches of evil, but we must never forget this truth:compassion and forgiveness are the hallmarks for being Jesus’ followers.
Today’s reading of the Gospel brings to life what it means to be compassionate and forgiving. God tells us that we must forgive the wicked man for all the evils he has committed. This asks us to convert our righteous anger.
You may be saying to yourself, “Lord, how can this be?”
Perhaps, we can find an answer through the words of the prophet Ezekiel who wrote in the 11th verse of his 33rd chapter, “As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways!”
Think about your day today. Were you angry about the actions of someone else? What did you do about it? Were you able to convert your righteous anger?
God, may you continue to help us as we strive to be compassionate and forgiving – just as you were, are, and forever shall be.
