The appeal is clear. We have been forgiven. In the divine economy, our forgiveness has consequences. We must share it with all our brothers and sisters. If the forgiveness is truly our gift, it will flow to others. Otherwise, we cancel it if we stay locked into the rigid and self-centered condition of the unforgiving servant.
Forgiveness is at the heart of the kingdom that Jesus proclaimed and lived. At the very beginning, he said, “Repent, the kingdom is at hand” (Mt 4:17)! Those who accept the invitation into the kingdom need to understand its demands. God’s intervention is unleashing an overwhelming explosion of divine mercy and forgiveness. This calls all to both absorb and share the life-giving current of the new reality that Jesus is setting free. This great blessing of mercy is a healing power that must be shared. Forgiveness is to be extended to all in the gracious and abundant manner God has displayed. What God wants is “mercy, not sacrifice” (Mt 9:12; 12:7).
The point is so blatantly clear. We say it in the Our Father. We express it in the Golden Rule (Mt 7:12). The Sermon on the Mount is saturated with its implications. We need to forgive! If we do not, we block the flow of divine mercy. We cannot earn God’s forgiveness but the simple painful truth is, we can lose it by not sharing it.
The main message the parable is a summons into a sea of divine mercy. The consequence of this gracious gift is our responsibility to our sisters and brothers. Our ambiguity draws us into the struggle to let go of the hurts. The presence of both the weeds and the wheat within our heart pulls us away from the obvious and overwhelming demand to forgive others. Even with all the clarity and power of the revealed word, we know how difficult it is to forgive.
In fact, forgiving is one of the most problematic of any human tasks. The immensity of the hurt, the unfaithfulness, the injustice or the neglect consume our soul. For most of us, the journey from the hurt and pain to the “I forgive” is a long and treacherous road. Today’s message of divine mercy, so clear and overwhelmingly righteous, is very slow to penetrate the hurting heart.
I like to describe it like this. When it comes to mercy and forgiveness, we tend to use a teaspoon to measure our distribution of mercy to those who have offended us. On God’s part, mercy and forgiveness is like a torrential downpour that washes clean all in its path. The contrast is frightening, but so very real.
There are some things that we can do to help ourselves in this dilemma. We should have patience with ourselves and admit we need to let go of the hurt. We should pray for the person and ourselves. We should accept our weakness in God’s sight and seek to lean on God’s unrelenting love and mercy. We also should face up to another common self-deception. We label individuals as unworthy of our forgiveness.
Thomas Merton talks about the absurdity of trying to determine who is worthy of our forgiveness. He asks just who among our “unworthys” are persons Christ did not die for. We know well that Christ died for all, plain and simple. We need to share in that universal love in our life. It surely will be a struggle to forgive. But it is utter foolishness for us to have a list of those who are not worthy of our forgiveness. Our obvious choice should be to use God’s list. God has made it clear that everyone is on the divine inventory.
Conclusion
Mt 18 is truly eye-opening and challenging to one’s normal experience of church. It is obvious that the historical baggage has distorted the fundamental call to a humble and serving community always cherishing forgiveness and reconciliation. Down through the centuries, there has been a call for the church to be in constant reform. However, this voice has too often been lost to an ever-present sinful element with an agenda of power, prestige, privilege and exclusion. This on-going battle of sin and grace will remain active the end. We need to enter the struggle to return to Jesus’ vision of a humble and serving and loving community. We can light a candle in our darkness by our personal commitment to live the gospel in the footsteps of Jesus.
I have a series of questions to challenge us as a community and as individuals. It is my fondest hope that we can respond with generosity and integrity so see that we hold the power to make things better by our personal determination to make a difference. We are not frozen in mediocrity. The gospel has the power to set us free.
Questions for our faith community
I have a series of questions to challenge us as a community and as individuals. It is my fondest hope that we can respond with generosity and integrity so see that we hold the power to make things better by our personal determination to make a difference. We are not frozen in mediocrity. The gospel has the power to set us free.
Questions for our faith community
1-How do we use money and power in the community to make it more humble, more serving and a greater witness to trust in God?2-What clothing in and out of liturgy unites us and helps us achieve a more humble and serving community?3-What steps could be taken to truly welcome and serve the poor and marginalized?4-Where is the biggest need and opportunity for forgiveness and reconciliation right now?5-What needs to be done to deepen and enhance the interpersonal relationships for all who are participating in the faith community?
Questions for Individuals actively participating in the faith community
1-How can you truly make yourself more humble and serving toward others?2-What in your personal agenda is an obstacle to facilitating a truly welcoming and open faith community?3-How can you genuinely increase your personal investment to enrich and expand the faith community?4-What are the obstacles within yourself and within the community that are keeping you from growing more in love with God and your neighbor?5-How can the personal interchange with others in the community bring you closer to God?
Questions for those who have chosen not to participate in the faith community
1-How does the withdrawal from participating in the liturgy and community life bring you closer to God?2-How does your chosen path help your life of prayer and advance your gospel awareness?3-How and to what do you welcome the poor and marginalized?4-When do you participate in the faith community and for what purpose?5-How do you practice forgiveness and reconciliation to build up the community?
