Scripture:
Joshua 3:7-10a, 11, 13-17
Matthew 18:21-19:1
Reflection:
Acting Like God the Father?
Today’s Gospel finds Jesus saying his Father will punish us unless each of us forgives our brothers from our heart. It’s not hard to guess that this reading is part of the Gospel of Matthew, which again reminds us that we must be heartfully just, empathetic, kind, and forgiving.
So, shouldn’t we try to live by that part of the Our Father prayer where we say, “Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us”? If we ask God, our Father, to forgive us, then aren’t we being asked to forgive just as generously as God does? Or, ironically, are we asking God to only forgive us to the extent we forgive the people who have hurt us?
We all know that to forgive is not to write off someone else’s evil deeds suddenly. One healthy form of forgiveness is to “act like God” and give the hurtful person the challenge to renew their faith, start over, and do less evil in the future. And for ourselves, the very act of forgiveness prompts us to clear our minds and hearts, so we can refocus on building God’s kingdom, as Jesus asked.
.Jack Dermody is President of Share Our Gifts, Inc., a Passionist alumni organization dedicated to assisting those who live in poverty; he is also editor of CrossRoads, the Passionist Alumni Association’s newsletter.