Forgiveness

A beloved sinner

The most difficult thing in life is to forgive someone who deeply hurt you.

Think about a person whom you do not like and hate, and even want to condemn. We all have people like that.

Jesus urges us today that we'd better make efforts to forgive those offenders instead of holding them in our hearts.

The first and foremost important reason to do that is for yourself not for them. Most of time those who hurt you do not remember their malicious words and deeds.

If we stay in terrible situations without reconciling with them, it is more terrible for us.

In every mass, we begin with the penitential rite in which we ask for forgiveness from our brothers and sisters and God because we have also committed mistakes and sins.

We have to forgive oneself first to go further to forgive others which is only possible with the right image of God. If someone has a stern and judgmental image of God, one would be very hard to ask forgiveness.

What kind of God is in your mind? 

Do you believe that you are a beloved sinner of God?

I recall how Pope Francis responded to a journalist's question, "Who do you think you are?"

"I am a sinner whom the Lord looked upon with mercy. I am a forgiven man. I still make mistakes and commit sins, and I confess every fifteen and twenty days. And if I confess it is because I need to feel that God's mercy is still upon me."

Our God is merciful and always forgiving, so let's forgive ourselves as well as others because God has already forgiven us. Amen.