2nd Week of Lent (M)
Fr. Philip Neri Powell, OP
St Dominic Conventual Mass
Of
all the truly difficult things Jesus asks us to do, at the top of
that long list would be: “Be merciful. . .Stop judging. . .Stop
condemning. . .Forgive.” Right up there on that same list is
another familiar command from the Lord: “Love God, love your
neighbor.” You can always tell when Jesus knows that he's giving us
a difficult job b/c he makes that job a command. He makes so that we
really don't have much wiggle room when it comes to hearing and doing
what he's asking us to do. We could see this as a slight – “He
doesn't trust us with just a kind suggestion or a subtle hint!” Or
we could see it as a gift – “Left on my own, I couldn't forgive
you, but Christ commands it!” And just in case the command alone is
not enough to move us toward mercy and forgiveness, Jesus adds this
little trailer, “For the measure with which you measure will in
return be measured out to you.” So, we not only have his command to
forgive, we also have a preview of how we will be judged on the Last
Day! When we get to the Lord's Prayer later in the Mass, pay close
attention to the line that goes, “Forgive us our trespasses AS we
forgive those who trespass against us.” You are asking God to judge
you in the same way you judge others. Could be scary. . .or not.
Forgiveness
is difficult b/c we carry with us many false notions about what
forgiveness entails. “If I forgive her, I'm saying that what she
did wasn't wrong.” If what she did to you wasn't wrong, there's no
need to forgive. “If I forgive him, then he'll just do the same
thing again.” So, by refusing to forgive you hope to prevent a
future offense? Is that how God works with us and our sin –
withholding His mercy until we're perfect? How about this one: “I
like having something on her. I like feeling wounded and righteous in
my anger”? Fine. Just remember: you will soon ask God to forgive
you in the same way
that you forgive others. Do you really want God holding a grudge
against you? My personal favorite: “I have forgiven him. I just
don't feel
like I've forgiven him.” You've forgiven him, or you haven't. How
you feel about it is an entirely separate issue. No where does the
Lord command us to be happy about forgiving those who've sinned
against. He simply commands that we forgive. If there's a season in
the Church calendar that's better suited for a reckless spree of
mercy and forgiveness than Lent, I don't what it would be. There's
still time. Get out there and show your fellow sinners – all of us
– some astonishing mercy!
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A very thoughtful approach to forgiveness is offered by Vincent Brummer in his 'What Are We Doing When We Pray' (Ashgate). sees forgiveness in terms of personal relationship, whether with another or with God. To forgive is not to condone or to say that the offence doesn't matter: it is for the forgiver to take to himself the pain of the offence because he values more his relationship with the one forgiven. When God forgives, he takes on the pain we cause because above all he loves us and our relationship with him.
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