FIFTEENTH

Dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
Yet another week passes and as we have been praying for a light at the end of the tunnel, it appears a little light is on its way. This past week in preparing for today, I’ve been reflecting on forgiveness, which is the overall theme in our Gospel passage. Jesus places a high demand on us and all who follow him to be a forgiving people. Yet offering, or receiving forgiveness is always easier to say than to do. Sometimes it is a journey, but a necessary one that all must take. Brendan Byrne in ‘Lifting the Burden’ puts it like this: “Forgiveness nonetheless is not easy. For some people—an very understandably in view of things they have suffered—it seems an impossible requirement. Fellow Christians and above all pastors would be foolish simply to confront such people with the demand of forgiveness in stark form as it appears here. The capacity to forgive is itself a grace. For many it will be a lifelong project, to be sought in prayer and supplication from God. What Jesus requires is forgiveness ‘from the heart’ (vs 35) that is, from the radical core of a person that is the domain of God and that only God’s grace can ultimately touch and heal.” Is there anything in your life requiring forgiveness of others, from others or to others that you can take some steps towards in your own life.

Journey safe and well, remembering God loves you no matter what.
Fr Ian