TUESDAY, March 9, 2010

 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive.”    Matthew 18:21-35

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Today, Jesus teaches us about personal relationships and personal options, as well as the dynamic which exists between offending and forgiving with a refreshing new sense.  Before thinking whether or not we are offending God, we must reflect whether that offense is not in reality an offense against our brothers and sisters, and before worrying about divine forgiveness, we must first obtain the forgiveness of the one we offended.  Above all, the world needs God's forgiveness.  This is why those who wish to build a more just society cannot do so with accusations and grudges.

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Peter's concern is: How much to forgive?  He is not concerned with the quality, but rather, in feeling good because the "law says, seven times".  Jesus proposes that the number of times is not important - it is the quality of the forgiveness.  Forgiveness must always come from the heart, to permit the offender not only to be forgiven, pardoned, but invited to act differently and to mend his ways in future behavior, because the quality of the forgiveness has permitted him to go into himself, to see and experience the effects of his error.

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We see how Jesus treats us, how he respects our process and teaches us with love, thus enabling us to experience his mercy.  And upon looking at ourselves, we will be revealed our misery - this is the basis of treating others with gentleness and compassion.  If God treats me as I am, with love, what else can I do but do the same with my brothers and sisters who are, to tell the truth, better than me...

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REFLECTION.- “From the love of the Incarnate Word for them, the sisters draw strength to accept each other's limitations, to be reconciled with each other and to be a sign of reconciliation for others.” (CCVI DIRECTORY No. 28.4) How can we empower this privileged space, to nourish our calling to be signs?

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Date: 9/Mar/2010