Forgiveness

Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent
Matthew 18:21-35
https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/031026.cfm

What does not forgiving someone accomplish? Does God tally up the sins of people against a person that are left unforgiven? What do you expect to gain by not forgiving someone? We often think it has some type of recompense on the person we don’t forgive, but does it really? Yes, we may cut them off or treat them differently, but ultimately, the lack of forgiveness has a deeper impact on us. Jesus doesn’t ever talk about what can or cannot be forgiven. He doesn’t say forgive this but don’t forgive that. He also doesn’t spend a lot of time talking about the person we need to forgive either. He keeps it in very general statements. 

Jesus is more focused on the person needing to forgive than the person needing forgiveness. His message is clear: forgive others as God forgives you. It is an expectation that we are to forgive. Not forgiving does more damage to us than the person we’re not forgiving. We have much more to lose by not forgiving than any punishment it causes the person we’re not forgiving. The punishment is merely our own. God wants us to be freed from the burden of sin. If we hold onto it, we increase that burden.

May we learn to forgive as Jesus taught us to forgive.