Daily reflection _ forgiveness has no limits

FORGIVENESS HAS NO LIMITS
We must be free from anger and revenge.  
Deacon John Ruscheinsky
Jesus teaches that one must forgive in order to be forgiven. If we do not forgive our fellow human beings we cannot expect God to forgive us in turn. The Apostle James says that "judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy" (Jas 2:13). Mercy is truly a gift and it is offered in such a way that justice is not negated. Mercy seasons justice as salt seasons meat and gives it flavor.
C.S. Lewis, a twentieth century Christian author, wrote, "Mercy will flower only when it grows in the crannies of the rock of Justice: transplanted to the marshlands of mere Humanitarianism, it becomes a man-eating weed, all the more dangerous because it is still called by the same name as the mountain variety." If we want mercy shown to us we must be ready to forgive others as God has forgiven us. We grant forgiveness almost every day of our lives. Most of the offenses are trivial and unintentional. Forgiveness becomes problematic only when the trespasses are more serious, when they are intentional, and especially when they are repeated.
Behind Peter's question, "Lord, how often, seven times?" are two possible concerns, one focusing on the offended party and the other on the offender. Experience suggests that there must be limits to patience with misbehavior. We have used these words from time to time in our lives, "enough is enough." Peter felt that his statement was generous to Jesus, but Jesus responds that he must forgive indefinitely, "Not seven times but seventy-seven times" (Mt 18:22). You might question as Peter did in his mind, how are we to do it? It seems not only impossible but also likely to disrupt the normal way of daily life. It seems to take away from accountability. Possibly the answer is that the parable and the teaching of Jesus Christ is concerned with what goes on in our hearts; we must be free from anger and revenge. The fact that we will be forgiving says nothing about the responsibility we have to not offend others in the first place.
Jesus' story today makes one point: we should not try to cover every facet of an issue. Other parables about the good use of our talents, for instance, makes the point that you and I should fulfill whatever we do as well as possible, honestly, with integrity and respect for others. In our prayers today, let us be aware that our forgiveness by God is conditioned by our willingness to forgive. For forgiveness has no limit!