Holyrood Church 715 West 179 Street, Upper West side Manhattan, USA, 212-923-3770

A forgiving person is a person who shows compassionate character

 

 

Good morning, happy Tuesday, and many blessings.

 

In today’s Gospel (Matthew 18:21-35) we learn that God’s forgiveness and human forgiveness are integrally related.

 

“How often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered Peter, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.”

 

Forgiveness, for Jesus, is not a quantifiable event. It is a quality; a way of being, a way of living, a way of loving, a way of relating, a way of thinking and seeing. It is nothing less than the way of Christ. If we are to follow Christ, then it must become our way as well. “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times.

 

Forgiveness is the only way forward. That does not mean we forget, condone, or approve of what was done. It does not mean we ignore or excuse cruelty or injustice. It means we are released from them. We let go of the thoughts and fantasies of revenge. We look to the future rather than the past. We try to see and love as God sees and loves. Forgiveness is a way in which we align our life with God’s life. To withhold forgiveness is to put ourselves in the place of God, the ultimate judge to whom all are accountable.

 

Forgiveness reflects the highest human virtue because it So clearly reflects the character of God.  A person who forgives is a person who emulates godly character. Nothing So much demonstrates God’s love as His forgiveness.  

 

A person who does not forgive is therefore a person lacking in godly character and without Christlike love, no matter how orthodox his theology or how outwardly impeccable his morals appear to be.

 

We must extend forgiveness in light of God’s radical and measureless forgiveness toward us. Do you see what Jesus is driving at all through the parable? He is saying that those who have experience vertical forgiveness (from God) should be the ones who are the quickest to extend horizontal forgiveness (to others). This is beauty of the gospel. Have you received mercy, then freely give mercy? Have you been forgiven? If you are struggling to extend forgiveness, ask yourself this gospel question: Is their sin against me more grievous and appalling than my sin against God?

 

During this Lent try to do this evaluation of these four promises in your life: What does true forgiveness look like? Here are four promises about forgiveness: “I will not dwell on this incident.” “I will not bring up this incident again and use it against you.”  “I will not talk to others about this incident.” “I will not let this incident stand between us or hinder our personal relationship.” How did you do in the evaluation?

 

Blessings,

 

Fr. Luis+

Date news: 
Tuesday, March 9, 2021 - 09:30

Ministry at the time of Coronavirus (Covid 19): Prevent, cure and accompany

Now we have to shape what some have started calling; The Church at Home. Although I keep asking myself; What do those who do not have a home do? For this reason, at the same time, I am declaring today in our Holyrood Church a Lenten day of prayer, fasting and reading the Bible in the Time of the Coronavirus.

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