In today’s Gospel Jesus warns his disciples against causing scandal: “Things that cause sin (skandala) will inevitably occur, but woe to the one through whom they occur.” Jesus calls for both fraternal correction and forgiveness: “If your brother or sister sins, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them.” Perhaps the most challenging part of Jesus’ instruction is his call for unlimited forgiveness, even “seven times in one day.” The apostles recognize how difficult Jesus’ teaching is, so they implore Jesus: “Increase our faith.”
The power to forgive comes not from a judicial assessment such as an “eye for an eye” but from faith and trust in God. The power to forgive comes from remembering and reflecting on our own experience of forgiveness as we hear in Ephesians: “…be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ.” (Ephesians 4:32). The experience of forgiveness which is the experience of God’s great love for us can change our lives as we hear in the story of the sinful woman in Luke’s Gospel.
“So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little.” (Luke 7:47)
This woman’s experience of God’s love and forgiveness empowered her to show great love and to even open herself to ridicule and mockery as she washed Jesus’ feet with her tears and dried his feet with her hair. (Luke 7:38).
Jesus challenges us in today’s Gospel to turn away from sin and to be kind, compassionate, and forgiving. Most importantly Jesus wants us to experience the overwhelming power of God’s love and forgiveness so that we also can show great love.
Image credit: Pixabay | Nov-10-2025 | Pubic Domain | AI generated by joseweslley899