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.” – Matt 18: 21 – 22

Reflection

Learning to forgive can sometimes be difficult.

Especially when we’ve been wronged unjustly, the Lord’s command to forgive the person who hurt us, can seem like a very tall order.

In today’s Gospel from Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent, the Lord calls us to forgive by giving us a fresh perspective of how forgiveness is vital to us receiving mercy from the Father.

In answer to Peter’s question about how many times he should forgive someone who’s offended him, the Lord narrates the story of the unforgiving servant.

This was a servant who owed his master a vast sum of money and was unable to repay.

When the master wanted to carry out justice on the servant, for his debt, the servant fell to his knees and pleaded for mercy. His master felt pity for him and forgave him all his debt.

However, that same servant soon came across another servant who owed him a very small amount of money. He physically confronted the servant and demanded his money.

The other servant, fell on his knees and begged for mercy from him. However, he refused to show mercy and was very wicked in his punishment.

The master was informed of his actions, and he was in turn unreservedly punished.

When we put our own sins and failings and the mercy we have received from God, in context with how others have offended us, and why we ought to show them mercy, we gradually begin to receive grace to forgive.

So today, let us ask the Lord for His abundant grace to forgive those who have offended us, without counting how many times we’ve forgiven, but with unreserved, abundant love. AMEN.

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, as I sit and ponder on Your call to forgive, I confess my unwillingness to do so easily.

I feel the pain in my heart for the offences caused against me.

But dear Lord Jesus, I do not want to carry this burden anymore.

I need Your Peace and Your Grace to forgive.

Please come into my hardened heart, and soften it Lord.

Wipe away my tears from my sorrows and hurts, and confusion.

Heal my wounds and my pain from the offences that have been caused against me.

Forgive me for retaliating against others, and causing them hurt too.

Today Lord, I ask for a new dawn…

A new dawn of Grace.

Please send me Your Holy Spirit to heal me, refresh me, guide me and lead me.

That as I walk with You day by day, Your Spirit would free my heart

And make me perfect in Your Love.

Amen.

 

Always and Forever,

To The Lamb.

With all my love.

06-March-2018