Nineteenth Thursday of Ordinary Time

Then in anger his master handed him over to the torturers until he should pay back the whole debt. So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.

When Peter asks how many times he must forgive his brother, Jesus makes clear that forgiveness should always be at hand for those who ask us for it. If we deny our brothers or sisters in God the forgiveness they ask for, then we will be like the wicked servant and God will rightly send us to torment. When we deny someone our forgiveness, we do both them and ourselves great harm. We hurt the penitent by denying them and perhaps leading them to anger or greater sin. We harm ourselves by acting in pride and judging others, which we should never do because only God has the right to judge the hearts of men. When we hold grudges against someone for any reason, be it great or small, we hold ourselves back from acting Christ-like. Loving our enemies might be difficult to do, but it is necessary if we want to be forgiven for our own failings.

Do we forgive those who have sinned against us? Even those who have done so many times? How do we build up the habit of choosing to love our enemies?

O Lord, give us the strength and humility to forgive our brothers from our hearts.

Amen.