Peter...asked Jesus, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?" Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. That is why the kingdom of heaven may be likened to a king who decided to settle accounts with his servants. When he began the accounting, a debtor was brought before him who owed him a huge amount. Since he had no way of paying it back, his master ordered him to be sold, along with his wife, his children, and all his property, in payment of the debt. At that, the servant fell down, did him homage, and said, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back in full.' Moved with compassion the master of that servant let him go and forgave him the loan. When that servant had left he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a much smaller amount. He seized him and started to choke him, demanding, 'Pay back what you owe.' Falling to his knees, his fellow servant begged him, 'Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.' But he refused. Instead he had him put in prison until he paid back the debt. Now when his fellow servants saw what had happened, they were deeply disturbed, and went to their master and reported the whole affair. His master summoned him and said to him, 'You wicked servant!  I forgave you your entire debt because you begged me to. Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant, as I had pity on you?' Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart."

"I'm not a perfect person. There's many things I wish I didn't do, but I continue learning. I never meant to do those things to you. And so I have to say before I go that I just want you to know: I've found a reason for me to change who I used to be, a reason to start over new and the reason is you. I'm sorry that I hurt you. It's something I must live with every day. And all the pain I put you through I wish that I could take it all away and be the one who catches all your tears. That's what I need you to hear."

"Not seven times, but seventy-seven times," Jesus said, saying that forgiving another should be constant, every time. Then, Jesus becomes even clearer in the story he tells. The ending of the story, namely the punishment of the person who refuses to forgive, is quite to the point.

Hoobastank's song "The Reason" speaks of the necessity of asking for forgiveness in the human realm. The person in the song made a mistake, something that he did, and probably said about the other, so common in our world of relationships. And now he does the one thing that he must do--he begs forgiveness. "I'm sorry that I hurt you," and "I need you to hear" my words. And in the Christian's mind, the person whom he has hurt, should grant the forgiveness.

But, whether the forgiveness is granted or not, the person must say "I am sorry." The person in Jesus' story would not say it, and therefore he could not be forgiven in Jesus' mind. Forgiveness is a necessity in the Christian realm of understanding, but being able to say that we are sorry is just as important. Before any forgiveness can be granted by anyone, there must be a sincere attempt to admit that he/she caused a situation which brought harm to another.

THOUGHT
 
PRAYER

Good and gracious God, your Son told us in no uncertain terms of the importance of forgiveness in our Christian lives. Help us beg forgiveness of those that we have hurt, and then give us the grace to grant forgiveness when it is requested. Be with us, we pray. 

Questions, comments? Let me know. Email Fr. Mike

©2007 Capuchin Province of Mid-America
Fr. Mike Scully is a member of the Capuchin Province of Mid-America