Forgive them

People have done us wrong.

Sometimes there is no way we can forget the wrong that was done to us: we cannot escape the evil effects of what they did.

The message of today’s Gospel (Matthew 18:21-9:1) is: forgive them.

We must prudently and proportionately protect ourselves and the defenseless against evil, but we must always forgive.

If we do not, the results could be terrifying.

His master summoned him and said to him,
‘You wicked servant!
I forgave you your entire debt
because you begged me to.
Should you not have had pity on your fellow servant,
as I had pity on you?’
Then in anger
his master handed him over to the torturers
until he should pay back the whole debt.
So will my heavenly Father do to you,
unless each of you
forgives his brother from his heart.