Forgiveness is the opposite of revenge. It is the opposite of tit-for-tat: “You did this to me, and so now I am going to make you pay for it.” But in the eyes of Jesus, forgiveness is mercy, not justice. The forgiveness that Jesus expects of his disciples is a one-way street. It goes from me to you, and it is without conditions: “I don’t need for you to acknowledge your guilt, or to ask forgiveness, to say you are sorry, or to suffer any consequences. I forgive. I forget. And that is all.” I feel sure that this is why God created the day as our timepiece. With each new sunrise we can start new again. With each new sunrise, every person who has harmed us is now forgiven. This is not the way most people respond. This is not how the world typically reacts. But if we are not doing some things differently from everyone else, then we are probably not living the Gospel. When we finally “get the message”, it’s like getting clobbered in the face by a stack of pancakes! Why? Because it releases a great freedom, freedom from anger and resentments that keep building up because you are too proud to be the first one – the only one – to forgive and forget. This is what Jesus means by being the Gate into an abundant life: “I came that you may have life and have it abundantly.” He included forgiveness in the prayer he gave us – “…Forgive us our trespasses (sins) as we forgive those who trespass (sin) against us.” And he modeled it by forgiving Peter who denied him and the soldiers who crucified him – “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Forgiveness is the beginning, the middle and the end of the Gospel. Go ahead, get clobbered. I dare you! – – – Fr. Jim
