June 15, 2010: Tuesday, Daily Mass Homily
Yesterday, I talked about 'kindness' as a way to love our neighbor. Today, I want to talk about 'forgiveness' as a way to love our neighbor. This morning I was reading from a passage from Scriptures where Jesus says to Peter that he will deny him three times. Peter then confidently claims, "Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you." And all the disciples spoke likewise. I think about this bold claim and the countless number of times we recite the Act of Contrition in Confession. We say, "O my God, I'm heartily sorry for having offended you and I detest all my sins...I firmly resolve with help of Your grace to sin no more and avoid the near occasion of sins." I wonder how many times I have said that to a priest and time and time again I go back to the confession for the same sin. Jesus is teaching us a lesson here isn't he? As numerous times as He forgives us, He asks us to forgive those around us. But how do we do that? It's so difficult to forgive those who hurt us.
Immaculee, a Rwandan Genocide survivor shows us how. Trapped in a small bathroom for 6 months with 5 other women, Immaculee clung on to the rosary that her dad gave her. There she meditated on the Sorrowful Mysteries of the rosary and bonded the sufferings of herself and her country to the Rosary. Through that meditation, she was so aware of how many times she has been forgiven by God. She called the Rosary her secret garden, where she spoke with God, meditated on his words, nurtured her spiritual self. It is through such deep and intense prayer we can do what Jesus told Peter, ""I tell you, [forgive] not seven times, but seventy-seven times."
Immaculee, a Rwandan Genocide survivor shows us how. Trapped in a small bathroom for 6 months with 5 other women, Immaculee clung on to the rosary that her dad gave her. There she meditated on the Sorrowful Mysteries of the rosary and bonded the sufferings of herself and her country to the Rosary. Through that meditation, she was so aware of how many times she has been forgiven by God. She called the Rosary her secret garden, where she spoke with God, meditated on his words, nurtured her spiritual self. It is through such deep and intense prayer we can do what Jesus told Peter, ""I tell you, [forgive] not seven times, but seventy-seven times."
