Forgiving hearts

As many of you know, I enjoy Ignatian spirituality and prayer. One of my favorite prayer books is creatively titled “God, I Have Issues: 50 Ways to Pray No Matter How You Feel” by Father Mark Thibodeaux of the Society of Jesus (2005, Franciscan Media.) 

In a mediation on the passages on forgiveness from the Gospel of Matthew, which we read this past weekend at Mass, Father Thibodeaux shares a quote from an anonymous person:  

“We are like beasts when we kill; 

We are like human beings when we judge;  

We are like God when we forgive.”  

When Peter asked Jesus about the number of times needed to forgive an offender, I suppose he thought he was being very generous in suggesting seven times. It has been said that some later rabbis followed the advice of three times to forgive one’s brother who had sinned against them. That’s like a “three strikes and you’re out” approach – or maybe four.  

But Jesus raises the bar much higher.

“Not seven but seventy-seven times,” he says.

Our Lord is using hyperbole to make the point that there is no set limit when it comes to forgiveness. Christ emphasizes that God’s mercy and forgiveness for us is boundless and unlimited. And in this way, we are called by Christ to act the same toward the one who sins against us, even if it is repeated or a daily challenge.

When we make a good confession, we humbly and honestly confess our sins. We have true contrition for them and express contrition aloud in prayer. We are given a penance as an act of reparation and as a good. Then, of course, the priest prays over us and absolves our sins, removing them from us.  

In the first part of the Act of Contrition, we say, “I firmly resolve with the help of thy grace to confess my sins, to do my penance and to amend my life.”  

As we prayerfully gaze upon Jesus on the cross, the more we know the grand depth of the Father’s forgiveness for us. We will then be better able to receive forgiveness and then give forgiveness with the help of his grace.  

The Catechism of the Catholic Church has a beautiful chapter on the Lord’s prayer. It is worth reading and re-reading. It acknowledges that forgiveness of someone who has hurt us, whether yesterday or years ago, is often very difficult. It notes that the parable of the merciless servant ends with these words: “So also my Heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

“It is there, in fact, ‘in the depths of the heart’ that everything is bound and loosed,” the catechism explains, “It is not in our power not to feel or to forget an offense; but the heart that offers itself to the Holy Spirit turns injury into compassion and purifies the memory in transforming the hurt into intercession.” (#2843, CCC.) 

Do you remember a time you were forgiven by someone? Do you remember how you felt and what was in your mind and heart at that moment?  

What a lovely, amazing gift.  

It was once said, “To understand all is to forgive all.” (Anthony DeMello, S.J.)  

Ask the Lord today to show you someone you need to forgive or someone from whom you need to seek forgiveness. Perhaps ask Jesus to give you a gift of understanding this person as your brother or sister in Christ. In this way you are exercising not as much a natural act but a supernatural, royal one, in imitation of our forgiving, merciful king. 

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