Forgiveness is the central theme to our collection of readings this Sunday. It is so sad to think that there are some who cling onto their jealousy and hatred towards another to the point that they are unable to forgive and thus finally move on from the hatred which consumes their soul and holds it hostage. As we are instructed in the Pater Noster (Our Father): “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”
If we are to forgive “not seven times but seventy-seven times” we need to entrust ourself to the cross of our Blessed Lord. From here He came to utter: “Father, forgive them for they know not what they are doing!” Therefore when we have done wrong we desire to receive the mercy of the Father. If we can understand that the Lord is indeed merciful and just with us we must also come to understand that this mercy which we desire from the Father should be shared with everyone that we encounter no matter how difficult that individual may be.
As is accounted in her autobiography, A Story of a Soul, Saint Therese of Lisieux accounts of a religious sister who proved to be most difficult in her life: “someone or other had left a little vase on a window sill, and it was found broken. Our Mistress thought it was my fault. She seemed very annoyed that I had left it there and told me to be more careful next time, adding that I had no idea at all of tidiness. Without saying a word, I kissed the ground and promised I would take more care in the future. Such little things, as I have said, cost me a great deal because I was so lacking in virtue, and I had to remind myself that it would be known on the Day of Judgment.”
Here we can see the example of not retaliating through an argument nor holding onto a grudge. Rather, we are shown the virtuous achievement of taking the wrongs of another and humbly accepting them as a lesson in virtue. What little things can we offer up in our life for the sake of achieving forgiveness for one who has wronged us in this life? When we are wronged or irked we don’t have to fight back, but instead we have the opportunity to embrace the cross. Every time that we allow ourself to embrace the cross, especially for another, we will grow in this virtue for our Blessed Lord laid down His life not only for us and our friends, but also our enemies.
It is often not the voice of our merciful Lord that comes our way when we have seemingly been transgressed against. Instead it is the voice of the devil that plagues us to not forgive and to lash out in our anger. His voice desires to make us latch onto these hardships and to never let go. We must rebuke this voice that comes our way. Again what virtue could we grow in if only we would dare to embrace the cross of our Blessed Lord?
If we are to embrace the cross we must come to embrace the virtue of humility. If we are to forgive we must embrace humility itself for through this virtue we turn against our pride in order to lower ourself to point of forgiveness. The prideful cannot dare to lower their self in such a manner for they are so used to everyone bending the knee at their needs. Humility causes us to except our imperfections and to realize and accept the imperfections of others especially those who irk us in this life. May we come to humbly embrace these individuals and through the cross learn to forgive them “not seven times but seventy-seven times.”
