Feb. 23, 2020 7th Sunday A - Forgiveness Has Power to Turn an Enemy to a Friend
Feb. 23, 2020 7th Sunday A
Would you agree with this statement: “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.” There is power in Christian love when exercised in unconditional forgiveness. In October 2006, after a long shift at the fire department, a 20-year old firefighter fell asleep while driving home and crashed into another vehicle which was carrying a woman and her 19-month old daughter. The 19-month old survived the crash, however the woman who was pregnant at the time did not. At the sentencing of the young man, the husband of the crash victim asked for a diminished sentence saying, “You forgive as you’ve been forgiven.” The husband continues to meet with the young man and their friendship continues years later.
We are made in the image and likeness of God who calls us His beloved daughters and sons. We reveal God’s image by the way we love and forgive. Who of us here have been hurt by another person in some way? Perhaps someone lied to us, stabbed us in the back, gossiped about us, judged us, mocked us, bullied us, betrayed us, broke our confidence, or abused us. While we may feel like returning the favor with the usual human attitude of “an eye for an eye, or a tooth for a tooth,” each of us has a choice to respond with Christ-like mercy. It is far easier and more pleasurable to do the opposite, that is to hate and wish the worst on them. Yet Jesus invites us to do better and aim higher. In his final moments of his life, Jesus pleaded and prayed for his persecutors, “Father, forgive them. They know not what they do.” This is our model for living. Jesus transformed Peter from betrayer to his Rock by his forgiveness for Peter. We can do the same for others. I came across this saying, “When you learn how to sit at the table with your Judas, you'll learn the love of Christ.”
Someone said, “Forgiveness is taking a risk of being hurt again. At the same time, forgiveness includes accepting an apology if and when it is given. Don’t be surprised if some feelings of hurt, even resentment, may linger after forgiveness. That struggle is part of our woundedness… True forgiveness is not given on condition that the person apologizes. Our forgiveness may be rejected. We don’t forgive in order to get something back. It may or may not happen. It is given because it is the good and the right thing to do; it is what Jesus asked us to do: ‘Forgive one another.’”
As we enter into the holy season of Lent, we ponder Jesus’ call to us to be perfect and holy like His Father is perfect and holy. While sacrificing the pleasures of sugar, chocolate, and alcohol during Lent are commendable, we need to join that sacrifice with disciplines that will change us interiorly. For example, if I give up chocolate, it would be my sacrifice that would remind me to be more forgiving and loving. Our disciplines should detach ourselves from our pride and help us recognize that even we make mistakes. We prayerfully ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us those whom we have hurt in the past and concrete ways that we can repair the damage. In our daily prayer let us lift up those whom we hurt, asking God to heal them. Remember to seek forgiveness from our Heavenly Father through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We will make available reconciliation before all the daily masses at St. George beginning with Lent. Let us make this Lent a season of living out the call of Divine Mercy.
