Sir. 27:30-28:7; Rom. 14:7-9; Mt. 18:21-35
On December 27, 1983, in
Rome's Rebibbia prison, two
men shook hands. A victim and a would be assassin. That is the historical
moments that Pope John Paul II spent with his would-be assassin,
Mehmet Ali Agca. On May 13, 1981, Mehmet Ali Agca shot Pope John Paul II, as
the pope rode in an open car across St. Peter's Square. Four bullets from
the gun of Ali Agca pierced into the stomach
and arms of the pope. The
Pope in white robes, capsized backward on his seat, stricken. Emergency surgery
saves him. When he left hospital he visited Ali Agca. It was a startling
drama of forgiveness and reconciliation. A greater act of forgiveness
than this was seen only once in history. 2000 years ago a victim, hanging
on the cross on three nails, prayed for his assassins, “Father
forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Jesus taught his
disciples the noble lessons of forgiveness; and he showed this on the cross.
In the Bible
there are many personalities who can be projected as the epitome of
forgiveness. Jacob deceived his father and received his blessings disguising as
Esau. To escape from the anger of Esau Jacob fled to Laban. When he heard that his brother Esau was
looking for him he was scared. When they finally met, Esau ran to Jacob and
hugged him and kissed him and showed forgiveness and mercy. (Genesis 33)
Joseph’s brothers became jealous and eventually sold him into slavery. When
Joseph revealed himself, they were shocked to know he was alive. They even
feared for years that he would seek retribution. But he comforted them, and
spoke to them kindly.” (Genesis 50:19-21). Knowing
that Saul wanted to Kill David, he fled for his life. He later had the
opportunity to Kill Saul, but he spared his life, because he had a
forgiving heart. Stephen was stoned to death when he preached a courageous
sermon in which he condemned the unbelief of the Jews. When he was dying he
asked God to forgive those who were putting him to death.
It was the Rabbinic teaching
that a man must forgive his brother three times. Peter thought that he was
going very far when he asked whether it was enough if he forgives seven
times. But Jesus’ answer was that the Christian must forgive seventy times
seven. That means, our
forgiveness should not be just once or twice, but ongoing forgiveness; day
after day, week after week, years after years, this should be done without
counting.
Jesus told the
story of the servant who was forgiven a great debt. He went out and dealt
mercilessly with a fellow servant who owed him a debt that was an
infinitesimal fraction of what he himself had owed. A.R.S Kennedy drew this
vivid picture to contrast the debts. Suppose they were to be paid in coins, the
100 denarii debt could be carried in one pocket. The ten thousand
talent debt would take to carry it an army of about 8600 carriers,
each carrying a sack of coins. The point is that nothing men can do to us
can any way compare with what we have done to God; and if God has forgiven
us the debt we owe to him, we must forgive our fellow-men the debts they
owe to us.
The whole
history of salvation is the account of man’s ingratitude and God’s
forgiveness. God created man and set in Paradise, but man disobeyed God and was
cast out of Paradise. The first two brothers occupied the earth, and out of
jealousy one assassinated the other. The chosen people were brought out
of the land of Egypt, but they raised their voice against God. His people were
given a nation, but they turned to idolatry. Prophets were sent to call
them back, but they persecuted and killed the prophets. At last God sent his
own Son, but he was crucified. In spite of all these heinous crimes, God
extends his boundless forgiveness.
Today the
ingratitude of man continues with greater intensity. Man raises hands
against his brother. Individuals fight against individuals, clans fight against
clans, communities fight against communities, religious groups fight against
religious groups, nations fight against nations. The stone that was raised
against Abel by Cain has now transformed itself into machine guns
and missiles. The same idolatry that was seen among the chosen people still
continues, but only the idols are different. God’s voice raised, but it is
silenced by systems. Still God extends his boundless forgiveness. Since
God forgives us so much, we are bound to extend our forgiveness to our brothers
and sisters who sin against us. But it one of the hardest things to practice.
We live in a society which glorifies revenge.
Hitler exhibited strong hatred towards Jews
right from childhood. He could never forgive them. He killed millions of Jews.
The American Army could not forgive The the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour.
Their revenge turned Hiroshima and Nagasaki into waste lands. The late
French president Charles DeGaulle never forgave Jean Bastien-Thiry
and he was allowed to be shot for masterminding the bombing of the Petit
Clamart. In contemporary history we can see a number of examples where men in
power refuse to forgive. In our personal life too, we find it very
difficult to forgive others; and we cherish revenge. We can never forget
the sarcastic look of our colleague; we cannot ignore the
humiliating words of our superior; we cannot overlook the angry words of
our friend; we cannot pardon the uncharitable remark of a relative; we cannot
forget the rude behavior of our neighbor. Most of us
have been victims at one time or another in our lives. We may have been victims
of mental abuse such as rudeness. We may have been victims of ongoing
psychological abuse. We may have been victims of physical abuse. As victims, we
may say in our hearts. But when a person seeks revenge rather than healing, he
is committing spiritual suicide. Some victims cannot find it in their hearts to
forgive. Jesus said: "I do not condemn you, go, and sin no more."
[Jn. 8:11] It is the right approach, the true Christian approach. “Never does the human soul appear so strong as when it foregoes revenge
and dares to forgive an injury,” says Edwin Hubbel Chapin.
Desire for revenge does more harm to the
person who contemplates revenge, than his victim. Roger Chillingworth is a character in Nathaniel
Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter.” He was a man deficient in human warmth.
His twisted, stooped, deformed shoulders mirror his distorted soul. From what
the reader is told of his early years with Hester, he was a difficult husband.
When he returned after a two-year absence he discovered his wife’s adultery. He
decided to keep his identity a secret from the townspeople so he could sniff
out the man who led Hester astray. Ultimately, Chillingworth represents true
evil. He is interested in revenge, not justice, and he seeks the deliberate
destruction of others rather than a redress of wrongs. His desire to hurt
others stands in contrast to Hester and Dimmesdale’s sin, which had love, not
hatred, as its intent. Chillingworth’s evil intentions twisted his own soul. He
changed from a kindly old man into a devil. When he lost the objects of his revenge,
he had no choice but to die. “He that studieth revenge
keepeth his own wounds green, which otherwise would heal and do well.” Wrote
John Milton.
"Forgiveness
happens inside the person doing the forgiving. It heals our pain and resentment
before it does anything for the person we forgive; they might never know about
it."(Lewis Smedes,
author of The Art of Forgiving, Morrings, 1996). So to forgive someone perfectly is by
completely forgetting the offenses that were committed by the person. “In taking revenge, a man is but even with his enemy; but in passing it
over, he is superior.” Wrote Francis Bacon.
"Being unable to forgive is the greatest obstacle to holiness!" Many are unable to proceed with their sanctification because they cannot find it in their hearts to forgive. Man has no right to seek vengeance. “Vengeance is mine,” says the Lord. To God belongs the right of vengeance and rewarding; the unrighteous soul will fall in due time for the day of disaster is approaching and it will quickly arrive. [Deut. 32:35]. Still, Jesus’ message was to forgive, and Jesus could forgive those who murdered Him [Lk. 23:33-4]. Hence, it should not be difficult for us to forgive. Our act of forgiveness can make the world a better place to live in.
"Being unable to forgive is the greatest obstacle to holiness!" Many are unable to proceed with their sanctification because they cannot find it in their hearts to forgive. Man has no right to seek vengeance. “Vengeance is mine,” says the Lord. To God belongs the right of vengeance and rewarding; the unrighteous soul will fall in due time for the day of disaster is approaching and it will quickly arrive. [Deut. 32:35]. Still, Jesus’ message was to forgive, and Jesus could forgive those who murdered Him [Lk. 23:33-4]. Hence, it should not be difficult for us to forgive. Our act of forgiveness can make the world a better place to live in.
When we hear
the teaching of Jesus, “forgive seventy times seven, we conclude that it
is an utopian idea. It can only be taught but not practiced. But in every age
and in every generation, there are thousands of human souls that do it
literally. We see them; we talk to them; we live with them; but we do not
recognize them. A mother cannot but forgive her child, whatever it does. The
child might disobey the mother; the child might hurt the mother; the child
might show ingratitude to mother; but nothing stops the mother from forgiving
her child, hour after hour, day after day, week after week and year after
year. The mother’s life is a long story of forgiveness to her children. What
enables the mother to forgive her children seventy times seven or even seven hundred
times seven is her love for them. Martin
Luther King taught “Man must evolve for all
human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The
foundation of such a method is love.”
That is the sum total of Jesus’ message, “Love one another as I have
loved you.”
Let us begin to prctise the virtue of
forgiveness in little measures, in the family, in the public places, in the
work place, and in the place of worship. A constant and conscious
attempt to practice the virtue of forgiveness will help us to master it
and forgive any offense against us.
Satish