24th Sunday in Ordinary Time - Year A - Loving and Forgiving
Forgiveness is the most striking manifestation of God’s love. The God of Jesus Christ is, above all, a God who forgives. This was shown supremely in Jesus’ death on the Cross, when he prayed to his Father to forgive those who were crucifying him. This was indeed an extraordinary act of forgiveness, the climax of a life and ministry in which Jesus constantly proclaimed and witnessed to God’s forgiving love.
Our scripture readings today challenge us to imitate the mercy and forgiveness of Jesus. Our first reading from the Book of Ecclesiastes reminds us that we have no right to ask the Lord to forgive us unless we are ready to forgive those who offend us: ‘Forgive your neighbours when they wrong you, and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray. If we nurse anger against others, can we then demand compassion from the Lord?’ (Eccles 28: 2-3).
In our Gospel reading, we see Jesus insisting so strongly on the need to forgive those who wrong us that Peter gets annoyed with him and asks him, sarcastically: ‘How often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me. As often as seven times? And Jesus answers: ‘Not seven, I tell you, but seventy times seven’ (Mt 18:21). What Jesus is saying is that there should be no limit to how often we forgive those who do us wrong. We must imitate the forgiving attitude of our heavenly Father in our relations with one another.
Forgiveness, however, does not come easy to us because we are not like our compassionate and loving Father, ‘slow to anger and rich in mercy’ (Ps 103). Even in small things we find it difficult to forgive. We can bear grudges for years against those we consider to have wronged us, to have let us down, or to have treated us unfairly. This can apply to family members, neighbours, friends and colleagues at work or in school. We forget – or overlook the fact – that God continues to forgive us over and over again.
Why does Jesus insist so much on forgiveness? It is because without forgiveness love cannot flourish and peace cannot exist between people. Nursing anger and resentment is the best way to keep love out. It is in forgiving that we are most like God, our Father, and Christ, his Son. It is in forgiving that we bring healing to ourselves and to others, that we restore broken relationships and release the seeds of love in our communities. It is in forgiving that we extend the reign of God’s love on earth.
In honour of this weekend’s readings, we would like to share our latest video, "Loving and Forgiving", a peaceful hymn based on Psalm 103 and written by Scott Soper. It's beautiful lyrics remind us that the Lord is merciful and forgiving and ready to heal those who live in pain.
Video can be watched by clicking here or on the picture below:
