Peter approaching asked Jesus, " Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?" Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king, who decided to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt. At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.' Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan. When that servant had left, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding. 'Pay back what you owe.' Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' But he refused. Instead, he had him put in prison until he paid back the debt. Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. His master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?' Then in anger hi master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart."
When Jesus finished these words, he left Galilee and went to the district of Judea across the Jordan.
The Word in other words
The story is told about a senior citizen who asked his drinking buddies one on his right, and one on his left: "Did you spill beer on my pants?" When both of them said no, he said: "Then it must have been an inside job!"
Forgiveness, so to say, has to be an "inside job". Without the grace of God, it is difficult, almost impossible to really forgive and forget. All we need is to make a small opening for the Holy Spirit to come in and bring us out of our misery and sadness. Humility is that small opening. Aware and grateful that we to have been forgiven so many times by our Heavenly Father, may we swallow our pride and forgive those who have wronged us.
The evil one will always make us focus on our hurt, and if we do just that, we will never come to true forgiveness. The Lord tells us today to focus instead on the heart, His heart that is full of mercy, compassion, and forgiveness.
Are you still hurting, still going around in circles, and still not moving on? Forgive, let go, let God, and the hurt is gone, the road ahead opens up, and you are moving on!
- Fr. Jerry Orbos, SVD (DWMC, Batangas City)
