24th Sunday in Ordinary Time 2026 - To forgive is divine

 

 As you listened to the Gospel parable on forgiveness just now did anyone come to mind from your life that you’ve had a hard time forgiving? Someone that hurt you, or offended you, or acted unjustly towards you? Someone that you’ve forgiven several times in the past, and the thought of forgiving them again causes you weariness? Having someone pop into your mind like that, especially at Mass, might be a sign that forgiveness is needed.

Forgiveness. The Lord teaches about forgiveness throughout the Gospels, both plainly and also in parables. In the Lord’s prayer, he teaches us to ask to be forgiven by God as we forgive those who trespass against us. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus teaches plainly, “forgive and you will be forgiven”. In Mark, he says, “When you stand to pray, forgive anyone against whom you have a grievance, so that your heavenly Father may in turn forgive you your transgressions.”

As he healed the Paralytic man, he said, “Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic, “Rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”

And of course from the cross, he cried out, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”.

In the Gospel today, we hear a parable of the importance of forgiveness and also the consequences of failing to forgive. There was a king who forgave a servant. But when it was that servant’s time to forgive his fellow servant, he refused, and was therefore punished by the king for not following his example of mercy.

We need to practice forgiveness from the heart, meaning not just alleviating people from contractual obligations when they ask for it, but refusing to return evil for evil when we’ve been wounded.

Whether, someone’s face popped into your head or not as you heard this parable about forgiveness, I encourage you to examine your heart toward all people, to ensure that you forgive all people. And if you find the smallest speck of unforgiveness, pray to be delivered from it. Lord, grant me the desire to forgive, and the strength to forgive. Loosen the bonds of unforgiveness in my life.

For the Lord speaks about unforgiveness as a sort of prison today. The one who fails to forgive is imprisoned. Unforgiveness is a form of spiritual imprisonment, restricting us from living in the way that God desires us to live. So, unforgiveness is to have no place in our lives. The refusal to forgive can even keep us from heaven. There is not a single unforgiving soul in heaven. Every soul in heaven is one who has let go of all unforgiveness. You must let go of unforgiveness if you want to go to heaven. For “the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you” as the Lord teaches.

Forgiveness can be challenging when we have not developed the habit of forgiveness. Just as chastity is hard when we have not developed that habit of it, or patience is hard when we have not developed that habit of it.

When we encounter the Lord’s command to forgive, our ego’s might present some resistance. There is a part of us that resists forgiveness because we don’t want to be hurt again. Also, hatred is a powerful drug. It makes you feel powerful where once you experienced powerlessness and victimhood. There’s a thrill in plotting revenge.

Unforgiveness is also hard because the devil does not want us practicing forgiveness, and so he does what he can to tempt us to hold on to hatred. He might flood our imagination with examples of how that person hurt you or might hurt you again in the future, and the pain they caused you. He’ll whisper to you that you are weak  and shame you for turning away from vengeance. For he wants us to harbor resentment, bitterness, and poisonous thoughts and emotions, ungodly, violent and hateful impulses. Why?

Because when we forgive, we are imitating Jesus, who forgave all sins from the cross, loosening us from the devil’s grasp. The Devil hates forgiveness because he hates God. And “To forgive is divine” to quote the poet Alexander Pope. The Catechism says it almost more poetically when it states forgiveness “transfigures the disciple by configuring him to his Master.”

And so the enemy will cloud our intellect and weaken our resolve. He’ll also likely attempt the familiar tactic of procrastination, telling you, you can forgive tomorrow, or some time in the future. And then he fills your tomorrows with enough distractions that you forget about what you heard in Church and read in Scripture.

So, what DOES it mean to forgive? Forgiveness does not mean pretending evil is not evil, or simply forgetting about past wrongs or allowing someone to continue to abuse us. It doesn’t mean we abandon justice. We can forgive someone from the heart while still supporting the societal need for criminals to be punished. Rather, forgiveness means that I refuse to let hatred, bitterness, and resentment to rule my life, to affect how I treat people. It certainly means refusing to return evil for evil.

For the Christian is never to be motivated by evil, but by love, for God, neighbor and enemy. When we forgive we are free to love as we should, but not only that. When we forgive, Wounds from the past are healed. Hatred is replaced with peace. And that peace is a foretaste of heaven. Jesus teaches to forgive because God wants to make his dwelling in our souls.

Now sometimes anger takes such root in the soul that it takes a lot of effort, multiple acts of forgiveness to overcome a deep wound.  After an initial act of forgiveness, little tinges of hatred remain. But as we practice forgiveness more and more, and we ask the Lord to help us to forgive as he forgives, eventually the wound is healed. The part of us that hates is transformed into an instrument of peace.

May the Holy Spirit help us to practice Christ-like forgiveness, may he help us to remember this teaching when we are tempted to forget it, that we may know the peace and joy of Christ in this life and in heaven for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

3rd Week of Lent 2023 - Tuesday - Forgive from the heart

 

One of the great Lenten themes is that of forgiveness.  On Good Friday, we will hear Jesus plead from the cross, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.”  All that Jesus suffered, all that he endured, the tortures, the mockery, the humiliation—he endured that our sins may be forgiven.  Yet, Jesus was willing to die for the forgiveness of sins because of his great love for us.  Jesus came to earth for this purpose.

When GK Chesterton was asked why he became Catholic, his simple answer was “to get my sins forgiven”.

The reception of God’s mercy is not automatic.  We must want it, desire it, seek it, and do what it takes to receive it.  The soul stained by original sin must receive baptism.  The baptized soul stained by mortal sin must receive the sacrament of reconciliation. Without God’s forgiveness, we cannot enter into eternal life.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus calls “wicked” the servant who refused to forgive.  

A Christian must never say, “I will never forgive you.”  For if we are closed to forgiving others, we become closed to receiving the forgiveness which leads to heaven.  Again, Jesus describes refusal to forgive as wickedness.  

Forgiveness is not easy.  It might feel like, say, being crucified.  

It is difficult enough to forgive those who have offended us even once with a small offensive remark or an unfriendly look.  When asked how many times we should forgive someone who offends us, St. Peter is pretty generous, he says seven times. But the Lord corrects him, we must forgive not seven times, seventy-seven times, meaning its not worth counting at all: forgive without limit.

If upon examining our hearts we detect any resentment or bitterness, we need to bring those feelings to the foot of the cross and let them go.  And if those resentments rear their ugly heads, we must repeat that process over and over: "Lord help me to forgive, help me to forgive with all of my might and the help of your grace, help me to forgive from the depths of my heart." If you are keeping a list against anyone of times they’ve offended you, rip-up the list and consider the slate wiped clean—daily!

So as we meditate this Lent upon the Lord’s forgiveness of our sinfulness, we also recall our own need to forgive without limit.  Forgive completely, forgive regardless the cost, forgive from your heart, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - -  

That readiness to forgive may mark the life of every Christian. Let us pray to the Lord.

That all families will recommit themselves to fervent prayer this Lent so as to grow in greater love and holiness.  Let us pray to the Lord.

That this Lent we will be faithful to fasting and to all the ways that the Lord sanctifies us.  Let us pray to the Lord.

For generous giving for the needs of the poor, the hungry, the homeless, those who are sick, unemployed, victims of natural disaster, terrorism, war, and violence, the grieving and those most in need.  Let us pray to the Lord.

For all those who have died, for all the poor souls in purgatory, for those who have fought and died for our country’s freedom, and for [intention below], for whom this Mass is offered.  Let us pray to the Lord.

Mercifully hear, O Lord, the prayers of your Church and turn with compassion to the hearts that bow before you, that those you make sharers in your divine mystery may always benefit from your assistance.