Forgive... or be tortured

When they are able to look at themselves and at life fully and clearly, victims will say that they had to forgive in their hearts in order to save themselves from the mental, emotional, and spiritual bondage and torture of anger and hatred.

That is not to say that they let the perpetrator continue victimizing. Prudence and the safety of others demand that all legal actions be taken to protect past, present, and potential victims.

The necessity of forgiveness for one’s own sake is dramatically presented in today’s Gospel (Matthew 18:21-35), as a man who refuses to forgive is literally tortured.

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 your brother from your heart.

We must be prudent and we MUST forgive.