Between hunger and holiness, forgiveness.

Between hunger and holiness.

Matthew 18:21--19:1

1821Then Peter came up and said to him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?" 22Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven

There are many times when I am reading the office of readings or the daily Mass readings the Sacred Scripture reaches up and slaps the teeth out of my mouth with understanding.  The  other day I was having a discussion about the use of Narcan (A drug used to save the lives of people who have overdosed on opioids.)  The person I was speaking to was irate about people who have needed it more than three times and they fell on the side of if the person in question had needed it that many times they shouldn’t be given a fourth time.  In other words, let them die.  Now, being pro-life-all life-and a person who works with this population of people, I vehemently disagree with this.  Where there is breath there is hope for a better tomorrow, so if we can save someone it’s a sin not to.  I fall on the side of Jesus in this.  No one has the right to be judge, jury, and executioner of another human life, especially when that human life is such pain and in need of love and forgiveness.  They fell on the side of the world, whose forgiveness has limits.  How many times should we use Narcan to revive someone?  Seven times seventy.

The world’s patience and forgiveness has limits, God’s doesn’t, and He explains this as the Gospel unfolds today. 

23"Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. 24When he began the reckoning, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents; 25and as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, with his wife and children and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26So the servant fell on his knees, imploring him, `Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.' 27And out of pity for him the lord of that servant released him and forgave him the debt. 28But that same servant, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat he said, `Pay what you owe.' 29So his fellow servant fell down and besought him, `Have patience with me, and I will pay you.' 30He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt. 31When his fellow servants saw what had taken place, they were greatly distressed, and they went and reported to their lord all that had taken place. 32Then his lord summoned him and said to him, `You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you besought me; 33and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?' 34And in anger his lord delivered him to the jailers, till he should pay all his debt. 35So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart."19

We say it every time we say the “Our Father.”  Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. In other words, God, forgive us but only to the level we forgive others.  You say it, we say it, but do we really understand what we are saying?  Let me re-say it and see if it hits you like it hits me…FORGIVE ME, but only to the LEVEL I FORGIVE OTHERS.  Really let that sink in. 

People think that if you preach a loving and forgiving Christ you are talking about some bland vanilla marshmallow, but that kind of radical forgiveness is anything but that.  It means keeping the evil you have been forgiven of in the front of your mind to keep you humble.  To remind you that but by the grace of God go you.  It means between the hunger for revenge for those who have trespassed against you placing the understanding that your debts were paid in blood.  And again-your debts were paid in BLOOD, not yours, but the very God who you are looking at and saying someone else doesn’t deserve forgiveness for the little things they have done to you.  That takes stones, doesn’t it? 

We are all God’s children.  It doesn’t matter what our skin color is, or our special brand of sin is, we can all be redeemed by the power and limitless love of our Messiah.  I fell on the side of God that one time, but I have to keep making the choice to keep doing that, to set my ego aside and remember how much I was forgiven.  The hunger I have for holiness must always outweigh my hunger for revenge, and that must be a daily choice. 

Before I close in prayer, let me say that this does not mean we accept evil in the world, but it does mean that as we fight evil in the world we must keep our hearts right, or we lose by default. 

Father, let me see the people around me as you do so my forgiveness and compassion can be holy and complete.  In Jesus name, AMEN. 

Here I am, Lord, send me!

Lisa Brandel