Gospels explained by Jesus - Gospel messages, gospels explanation |
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Matthew 18:21-35
Year A -
24th Sunday in ordinary time
How often must I forgive?
Sin is the dark inheritance of every human being. I came to this world to forgive sins so that you could be reconciled with my Heavenly Father and partake of his divinity and of the glories of the Kingdom of Heaven.
In my prayer to the Father I have taught you to say “forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.” In other words, your forgiveness is guaranteed so long as you forgive those who upset you and sin against you. You must forgive if you expect to be forgiven. Forgiveness begins with patience, which is a mild form of forgiveness and tolerance that opens the heart to complete understanding and mercy. I have said, be merciful as my heavenly father is merciful, do not judge and you shall not be judged, for with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Justice will be made to those who do not forgive. Therefore, be mild in your judgment; always treat others as you would like them to treat you. Put your self in the other person’s position when you are offended. Do not risk your own forgiveness by having resentments in your heart. The moment someone offends you is the moment to forgive and forget. The other person may have committed a sin but you are not God to condemn him, forgive him and you will avoid committing a sin yourself. Be merciful and you will obtain mercy on the day of judgment. When you do not forgive, you create resentment in your heart, which will work against the person who offended you and will serve as the platform to harden your heart. You will accumulate more resentment against other people and in the end you will have many enemies. The evil of your resentments will be your sin; it will surround you with darkness and destroy all your chances to be at peace with your self, with your neighbor and with God. You will not find happiness on earth as long as you have resentments, therefore you must forgive and forget in order to obtain interior peace and to reconcile your self with others and with God. There is no point in presenting your offering before Heaven if you still have something against your brother. If you bind resentments in your heart, they will stop you from entering into the joy of my presence, you will have to undo each resentment with many acts of love in order to be purified. The Holy Spirit cannot be at home in a heart that does not forgive. Lack of forgiveness leads to hatred; which is the opposite of love. Forgive and you will truly learn how to love, love mercifully and you will imitate the goodness of my loving heart.
Received by: Joseph
of Jesus and Mary
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21 Then Peter came and said to him, "Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?"
