Tuesday, March 22, 2022

 

Tuesday of the Third Week of Lent

(Daniel 3:25.34-43; Matthew 18:21-35)

Sins are forgiven in the Sacrament of Penance if there is a “firm purpose of amendment.”  This means that the penitent must be determined not to commit the sin again.  She may fail and come to Confession the following day.  But she must want not to fail by taking measures to avoid the sin.  As important as a firm purpose of amendment is, it is not the criterion that Jesus lays out for forgiveness.

Jesus insists that any mercy shown by God will be revoked if the sinner is not willing to forgive in turn.  His parable is quite illustrious.  In today’s terms it would say a man is forgiven the debt of a billion dollars.  Then he refuses to forgive his debtor who under the same conditions could not pay back one hundred.  Of course, such asymmetry is inexcusable.  God may be incomprehensibly merciful, but He is no fool.  He will not overlook the unwillingness to forgive after one has been greatly forgiven.

We show mercy when we do not try to get even with others for their offenses.  We may try to understand why the offenders acted in the way they did.  Perhaps we remember not acting well under similar circumstances.  Our aim is not to make excuses for th person but to recognize in ourselves in others.  In this way we are more likely to care for them as brothers and sisters.