Forgive How Many Times without Saying I'm sorry?

Introduction Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother asks St. Peter. Someone else may ask the Lord how many times my husband or wife, son or daughter, mom or dad, or others near who will not acknowledge their offenses and say I’m sorry?

Body

In the Gospel story of the King settling accounts with his servants, Jesus teaches that all sin we commit is counted as a debit against God. And we all have an open account with negative balances with God. God is infinitely Holy and perfect, and even the smallest of sins against God becomes infinitely unplayable by the debtor. Thus, only God can clear our debts and be satisfied with our accounts when we repent and beg God to forgive our sins. And God will always forgive a contrite sinner who asks on the account of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, His Only Son, who paid our debts on the cross. When we ignore this eternal truth of salvation and don’t ask God for forgiveness in Sacrament of Confession or convinced ourselves what we are dong is not sin or demanding others to say I’m sorry before we forgive them, we put ourselves in great jeopardy by inserting ourselves in the place of God. Like that other servant in the story. Like this other servant in the story who ended up paying the consequences.

In our 1st reading, Sirach says, “Could anyone nourish anger against another and expect healing from the Lord?” We may nourish anger consciously or subconsciously when we don’t forgive, waiting for the offender to say I’m sorry. Nelson Mandela, who was imprisoned by the Apartheid for over 20 years in South Africa, said, “Resentment is like drinking poison and then hoping it will kill your enemy.”

Conclusion.

To forgive and forget may be easier said than done, but God gives us the love and grace in our hearts to forgive or ask forgiveness from the person (s) that is on your mind now. Rev Martin Luther King Jr. said, ‘Forgiveness is not an occasional act but a constant attitude.” Not seven times, but seventy-seven times Peter. Whenever the pain comes up, we ask god for love and mercy to forgive, ask God for forgiveness and healing. And let’s not forget to go to the Lord in the sacrament of reconciliation and take care of our account balances from time to time. Mother Theresa said, “If we really want to love, we must learn how to forgive”