Twenty-fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Besides “As I have loved you, so must you love one another” (Jn 13:34), no other teaching of Jesus is more definitive for Christianity than his teaching on forgiveness. Jesus’ parable of the unforgiving servant in today’s gospel reading ends with, “So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart” (Mt 18:35). There are no ‘ifs’ and 'buts' attached to Jesus’ command to forgive. It is simple, straightforward, uncompromising, and unrelenting. This makes Christianity challenging for the holiest of Christians.
Last Sunday and today, the gospel readings focus on difficult relationships. Last Sunday the focus was on correcting one another and today the focus is on forgiving one another. What shall we make of Jesus’ demand to forgive? In three points, let draw some practical implications from these readings.
Forgiveness: An Extension of the Love Command
Jesus began his ministry upon the earth with the words, “The Kingdom of God is at hand.” While most of his followers associated the term, “kingdom” with the extension of the political kingdom of Israel, Jesus never claimed kingship over a defined territory. Instead, the kingdom of God became a non-territorial reality that was based on certain virtues - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, generosity, and self-control. However, love is the virtue that holds all other virtues together. central virtue of the Kingdom of God. Love is the virtue that holds all the other virtues together. That is why Jesus insisted on love - even love of enemies.
In reality, Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness is an extension of the love-command. In other words, the greatest obstacle to love, which is central to the kingdom of God, is unforgiveness. Hatred, the desire for revenge, retribution, the willingness to do harm, and the unwillingness to let go of grudges, hinder the progress of the kingdom of God, which is based on love. To the extent that individual Christians do not buy into Jesus’ insistence on forgiveness, to that extent the individual Christian becomes an obstacle to the progress of God’s kingdom. Each one of us can ask ourselves, “Am I progressing or hindering the growth of God’s kingdom?”
Forgiveness: Not Just a New Testament Teaching
Often, the demand for forgiveness is proposed as a New Testament teaching that replaced the more retributive teaching of the Old Testament – “eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth” (Lev 24:19-22). But this is a misconception. Passages like today first reading from Sirach, are often overlooked. These sayings from Sirach are worth reflecting upon this week. “Forgive your neighbor's injustice; then when you pray, your own sins will be forgiven. Could anyone nourish anger against another and expect healing from the LORD? Could anyone refuse mercy to another like himself, can he seek pardon for his own sins? If one who is but flesh cherishes wrath, who will forgive his sins? Think of the commandments, hate not your neighbor; remember the Most High's covenant, and overlook faults” (27:30 – 28:4).
The most important thing to remember about the scripture teaching on forgiveness this weekend is simply this – “What goes around comes around”.” Forgiving others benefits us the most. After all, Jesus taught us to pray, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us” (Mt 6:12). Who should you forgive this week? Name them. Pray for them. Extend a blessing to them. Forgive them. What goes around, comes around.
Forgiveness: An Attitude
Why is forgiveness difficult? Forgiveness is difficult because injustice, betrayal, and injury deeply affect our dignity as human persons. History bears witness to the gross injustice that has been done to human beings. Fascism is real and the damage it causes is real. Slavery was real and the damage it did and continues to do is real. Racism is real and the damage it does it real. Abuse in it various forms - domestic abuse, child abuse - is real and the damage it does it real. Forgiveness is not an invitation to continue with the injustice that we might be experiencing. A married woman who was facing physical abuse at home once asked me how she could live out Jesus’ teaching on forgiveness. “It never stops,” she said. I said to her that in situations like these, forgiveness is an attitude. It means that in order to forgive someone, the injustice done by the offending party must end. Once the injustice has ended, then forgiveness can be offered. This is the moment when the attitude forgiveness can be transformed into the act of forgiveness. It may take time to get from attitude to act, but unwillingness to try to get beyond the injustice is detrimental for the victim.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, “Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” We are reaching that moment in the celebration of the Eucharist where we will offer our gifts. Before we do so, perhaps we could bring our gifts with an attitude of forgiveness. Amen.
Fr. Satish Joseph