FORGIVENESS HAS NO LIMITS
We must be free
from anger and revenge.
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!