Forgiveness

Matthew 18:15-20

Houston Smith, the great scholar of religions, said that forgiveness is most characteristic of Christianity.

Two-thirds of the teachings of Jesus are related to forgiveness, says Fr. Richard Rohr. Forgiveness was fundamental for Jesus. He forgave those who had tortured and crucified him.

But payback and its cousins is rampant in our world today. There has even been a popular TV show called “Revenge.” Revenge is seen as a virtue in many societies today.

There are evolutionary, biological bases for our predilection to strike back. But to act on such impulses is not good for us or for other. We can learn to rise above such instinctive responses.

In today’s Gospel, a king extended extravagant mercy, giving a slave and his family a future with freedom, hope and possibility. Yet this slave turned around and refused to forgive the debt of another, taking away the hope and future of the other.

Justice, alone, can take away a hope and a future. These often can only come through love, mercy, grace and forgiveness.

If we refuse to forgive others, this limits the flow of God’s mercy and forgiveness to and through us.

Are we willing to release our need to be right, and our need for retribution? Are we willing to break the cycle of pain, and follow Jesus in forgiveness?

Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.