The need to forgive

Tuesday, March 17, 2020
3rd Week of Lent
1st Reading: Dan 3:25,34-43
Gospel: Matthew 18:21-35

Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, how many times must I forgive the offenses of my brother or sister? Seven times?” Jesus answered, “No, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
This story throws light on the kingdom of heaven. A king decided to settle the accounts of his servants. Among the first was one who owed him ten thousand gold ingots. As the man could not repay the debt, the king commanded that he be sold as a slave with his wife, children and all his goods in payment.
The official threw himself at the feet of the king and said, ‘Give me time, and I will pay you back everything.’ The king took pity on him and not only set him free but even canceled his debt.
This official then left the king’s presence and he met one of his companions who owed him a hundred pieces of silver. He grabbed him by the neck and almost strangled him, shouting, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ His companion threw himself at his feet and asked him, ‘Give me time, and I will pay everything.’ The other did not agree, but sent him to prison until he had paid all his debt.
His companions saw what happened. They were indignant and so they went and reported everything to their lord. Then the lord summoned his official and said, ‘Wicked servant, I forgave you all that you owed when you begged me to do so. Weren’t you bound to have pity on your companion as I had pity on you?’ The lord was now angry, so he handed his servant over to be punished, until he had paid his whole debt.”
Jesus added, “So will my heavenly Father do with you unless each of you sincerely for­give your brother or sister.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
A teenager tells his father: “Dad, I am a big boy now; I don’t need to be hugged”. The father replies: “You may not need it, son, but I do.” How nice if we apply this to the art of forgiveness. Then we’d be forgiving and forgiving even if the offender doesn’t feel he needs it.
Why do we need to forgive, in the first place? The last verse of today’s Gospel reading tells us why. Jesus says, “So will my heavenly Father do with you unless each of you sincerely for­give your brother or sister.” We must forgive others so that the Father may forgive us. When one stops practicing forgiveness, it is like he is saying he doesn’t need God’s forgiveness anymore.
But why does God bind us to forgive others in exchange for his divine forgiveness? The reason is pragmatic. The more we experience how hard it is to forgive, the more we appreciate the forgiveness we receive from the Lord. And realizing how difficult it is to forgive, we learn to treasure the forgiveness we receive from God -(Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., JD, DM.