Word to the Wise
Tuesday, March 9, 2010 - Tuesday in the Third Week of Lent
[Daniel 3:25, 34-43 and Matthew 18:21-35]Peter approached Jesus and asked him, "Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?" Jesus answered, "I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times......"
As I write this, I am in Kerrville, Texas, to preach a parish mission. The "mission" usually takes place on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. Tuesday evening is usually dedicated to a Reconciliation Service and the gospel passage that I ordinarily read on that occasion is the one assigned for today - Tuesday! The story of the Unforgiving Servant is a simple one but the real message is often missed. One could easily come away from it thinking, "Yes, I must forgive often." That is true enough, but it leaves out a profound reason for forgiving often. That reason is that if we expect God to forgive us, we must forgive one another! It's something we pray every time we say the "Our Father!" Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. To make this point stand out, I use an "Examination of Conscience" which challenges the congregation to examine all the relationships in their lives, from the closest (self, children, spouses, parents) to the most distant (professional people - doctors, teachers, co-workers) in order to forgive them and ask God's forgiveness for any harm we may have done to them. The last "relationship" is one in which we pray to be able to forgive that one person whom we swore we would never forgive, who had hurt us the most! The individual confessions which follow are powerful because many people simply think of the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a recitation of actions rather than relationships. This examination requires that we put a face on our sins! The closing lines of the parable of the Unforgiving Servant are similar to those earlier in this same Gospel of Matthew when Jesus teaches the "Our Father." (cf Matthew 6) If we expect to be forgiven, we must be forgiving! If we can do this for Lent and continue it after Lent, we might create a much better world. AMEN
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