Anger and Forgiveness
Peter approached Jesus and asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus answered, “I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times. Mt 18:21-35
24th Sunday in Ordinary Time Cycle A
God is slow to anger but rich in compassion. That is what we said on the Responsorial Psalm. Ps 103:1-2, 3-4, 9-10, 11-12
Sadly, in contrast we heard from the Sirach in the first reading that humans are the exact opposite of God in this regard. We are quick to anger and lacking in compassion. We heard from the prophet: “Wrath and anger are hateful things, yet the sinner hugs them tight. The vengeful will suffer the LORD’s vengeance, for he remembers their sins in detail. Sir 27:30—28:7
This is the message of the parable of the unforgiving servant which Jesus told Peter in today’s gospel – to stop being human but be more divine like God. As we are humans, we are all like the unforgiving servant. Strange but we are asked to stop being merely humans and start acting more divine. Truly to err is human. Every human being is prone to mistake – Proverbs 24:16 says seven times a day for the just person. But to forgive is divine because if we forgive, we become like God, which by the way is our life’s goal as followers of Christ.
Peter asked if there was a limit to forgiving another’s failings. Seven is a perfect number so Peter thought seven times is more than enough times to forgive others. Yet Jesus told him instead seven times seventy-seven times, which meant infinite or all the time.
A father had extra-marital affairs and yet his wife and children took him back and forgave him. But later on, when the eldest daughter got pregnant in college outside marriage, the father sent her out of the house. Fortunately, the mother and the kids took care of the prodigal daughter up to the baby’s delivery.
Ask yourself now these questions. Are you quick to anger? Are you attached to your wrath? Do you remember the details of the sins of others. Sirach warns us: Could anyone nourish anger against another and expect healing from the LORD? Could anyone refuse mercy to another like himself, can he seek pardon for his own sins? If one who is but flesh cherishes wrath, who will forgive his sins?
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