< <  

Tuesday, March 22, 2022

  > >


Daniel 3:25, 34-43
Psalm 25:4-9
Matthew 18:21-35

View Readings
Similar Reflections

did i forgive?

“My heavenly Father will treat you in exactly the same way unless each of you forgives his brother from his heart.” —Matthew 18:35

We Christians know that we must forgive or we will not be forgiven. Jesus even taught us to pray for this (Mt 6:12). Therefore, we Christians usually say that we have forgiven, for we know we have no acceptable alternative. Nonetheless, have we forgiven by God’s standards? Have we forgiven from the heart?

If we have truly forgiven, we:

  • should realize that forgiveness is a miracle of God’s grace, for “to err is human; to forgive is divine,”
  • are willing to reach out in love and mercy to honor and restore those who have sinned against us, as did the father of the prodigal son (Lk 15:20ff),
  • will be messengers and ministers of reconciliation (2 Cor 5:18-19),
  • will recognize the great benefits from the Sacrament of Reconciliation, for we are forgiven as we forgive,
  • are willing to embrace those who have sinned against us (see Lk 15:20),
  • have let the Lord heal and purify our memory of hatred, rancor, the desire for revenge, and
  • remember not only others’ sins against us but especially the miraculous grace in which we forgave each of those sins.

If there is any reasonable doubt about your forgiving others, go before Christ present in the tabernacle and say: “By the grace of Jesus Christ, I forgive      (name)         for      (sin)     .” Repeat this statement until you are totally purified of unforgiveness.

Prayer:  Father, I reject Satan’s work of unforgiveness.

Promise:  “And now we follow You with our whole heart, we fear You and we pray to You.” —Dn 3:41

Praise:  Daniel learned to forgive his ex-wife by praying for her every day.

Reference:  

Rescript:  "In accord with the Code of Canon Law, I hereby grant the Nihil Obstat for the publication One Bread, One Body covering the time period from February 01/2022 through March 31, 2022 Reverend Steve J. Angi, Chancellor, Vicar General, Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio June 16, 2021"

The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.