Thursday of the
Nineteenth Week in Ordinary Time
(Ezekiel 12:1-12; Matthew 18:21-19:1
Doesn’t the gospel
today seem somewhat fantastical? Whoever
heard of a person asking forgiveness seventy-seven times? The truth is that probably every one of us
has done so. As children, we likely
confessed repeatedly, “disobeying my parents.”
As adults, many poor souls cannot stop looking at pornography and confess
the sin sometimes twice a week.
However, multiple
sinning is not the point of Jesus’ parable.
His intention goes to the heart of the good news he preached. As the king in the parable, God forgives individual
men and women their many offenses. In return, God expects them to forgive one
another.
Must we forgive our
offenders when they do not ask for our pardon?
Do we have to extend forgiveness if offenders show no sign of
repentance? It does not seem so. The Church does not give general absolution
for sins unconfessed. But it is
necessary that we be ready to forgive by praying for those who offend us.
