Jesus gives his disciples a new teaching: forgiveness without limits. And he tells them quite strongly that, if they don’t forgive, God will treat them in the same way. They will be cut off and experience a type of imprisonment. One author compares carrying anger in your heart to carrying a hot coal. You’re the one who suffers most from your anger. We pray about this in the Our Father.
We know that revenge was an accepted practice in Jesus’ day. He lived in a culture of domination, and in that cultural setting he calls his followers to forgive. We also find ourselves living in a culture where many people try to dominate and get their own way, without much regard for the common good.
Forgiveness helps create a sense of connection, of community, of creativity and growth.
The bottom line is that we have to be connected positively, with each other and with the Lord, if we are to grow and be fruitful, which is the call of God’s Kingdom. Forgiveness helps us to move along that road to unity.
“Peter approached Jesus and asked him, “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him? As many as seven times?” (Matthew 18:21)
spiritphoto 
Beautiful work…as always! They give me a sense of calm to start my day.
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Love the pics, as always. I have been working on forgiveness and have found a great example in St. Maria Gorreti, who forgave her murderer and would-be rapist before she died. Talk about radical forgiveness! Wow! And she was only 11! If she can do that, and change the course of his life, then I can forgive my ex-husband for all of the abuse and horror.
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