How many times? Peter’s question to Jesus in today’s Gospel is probably a question all of us have asked. “Lord, if my brother or sister sins against me, how often must I forgive? As many as seven times?” While Peter thinks he is being generous Jesus tells him that is not enough! Jesus tells a parable to move the discussion from the justice level, “an eye for an eye” to the level of grace and mercy.
Jesus tells the Parable of the Wicked Servant. He is wicked because he has failed to learn from his experience. His master forgave his enormous debt, but this servant failed to show this same generosity to his fellow servant who owed him a mere pittance.
“You wicked slave! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. Should you not have had mercy on your fellow slave, as I had mercy on you?”
Jesus teaches us that forgiveness is not a financial transaction based on justice. The basis and really the power to forgives comes from the overwhelming experience of God’s love and forgiveness. All of us are sinners, some great sinners, some small sinners. All of us have been justified or forgiven through God’s grace, his prodigal or overwhelming generosity. St. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians emphasized that we do not and cannot earn this forgiveness. It is a gift or grace from God for us to receive and then live as gifted people.
“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ (by grace you have been saved) … For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you; it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:4-9)
Forgiveness is still difficult for us human beings. It is not a switch that we can simply turn on. Especially when we have been deeply hurt and the other person has not earned or does not deserve our forgiveness we find it difficult to forgive. It may even take a lifetime. Jesus shows the way to forgiveness does not begin as a financial transaction, calculating if this person has earned our forgiveness. Forgiveness begins with receiving the love and mercy of God. Jesus taught and both lived and died this message:
“When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his left. Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:33-34).
Image: “IMG_6467GBB Eustache Le Sueur. 1616-1655. Paris. Jésus portant sa croix. Jesus carrying his cross. 1651. Louvre.” by jean louis mazieres is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.