24th Sunday of Ordinary Time, Year A
Forgiveness is an essential element in Christianity and in the life of the Catholic Church. Forgiveness is also a very important aspect in the life of every disciple of Christ. Forgiveness has been defined by the Catholic dictionary as pardon or remission of an offense. Psychologists have also defined it as a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you, regardless of whether they actually deserve your forgiveness. Do we pardon others who have offended us? Have we made conscious, deliberate decisions to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward persons or groups who have harmed or hurt us especially when we think about how often God forgives us?
Today’s first reading from the Book of Sirach 27:30-28:7 and the gospel reading from the gospel of Saint Matthew 18:21-35 both give us great insights into how this virtue works. These readings also emphasize the importance of Forgiveness in the life of every child of God. In the book of Sirach, we are told to think about the commandments which are all centered on love, to hate not our neighbor, to forgive our neighbor’s injustice; so that when we pray, our own sins will be forgiven. In the gospel of Saint Matthew, Jesus tells us in his response to Peter to forgive our brother not seven times but seventy-seven times because if we don’t, we will not be forgiven by our Heavenly Father. My dear friends in Christ, Forgiveness is a very difficult virtue to live out. How can one easily let go of a hurt or even love one who hates them or has harmed them? How can you forgive a hurt and forget it that easily? How can you forgive someone who doesn’t want your good? These readings not only emphasizes the importance of the virtue of Forgiveness in the life of a Christian but goes on to state why it is essential for every Christian. Firstly, Forgiveness is essential for us Christians because it is a requirement for discipleship, as Christ suffered and died on the cross forgiving us our sins. So if we are to be like Christ and be faithful disciples of His, then we have to be forgiving like Him.
Secondly, Forgiveness is also essential in our lives as Christians because it is synonymous with God since God’s love is all encompassing and is always made available to us through His blessings, graces and mercies upon us. Thirdly, Forgiveness leads to peace, a peace that grows with our love for God and is shown in our love for our neighbors. Lastly, Forgiveness brings us closer to God who constantly pardons our sins and brings us closer to Himself as His children.
My brothers and sisters, let us strive to cultivate and nurture the virtue of Forgiveness in our lives as Christians so as to grow in our love for God by loving Him better in our love for others. Also, let us not forget Jesus’s call to forgive our brother(or sister) not seven times but seventy-seven times because when we forgive them, then we will be forgiven by our Heavenly Father. Amen!
