Last week, I ended my reflection by
commenting on how demanding the Christian path is, but it is also a path with
satisfaction, since following Christ gives us life and life in abundance.
Walking after Christ is doing the things that Christ did, following his
example. And while last Sunday Jesus spoke to us about the importance of knowing
how to correct one another (Mt
18: 15-20), today in the gospel (Mt
18: 21-35) he talks to us about forgiving.
Christian perfection is the practice of evangelical virtues, such as those we
mentioned above, but it does not end there. There is more! There is always more
that we have to work on, and be aware of, to grow and mature as Christians.
While we think about the virtues and attitudes that each one should seek in
their life as a Christian, we should keep in mind that all these things do not
go in a one direction, to personal convenience. Let me explain: to correct
others, but not to be corrected; be forgiven, but not to forgive; be served, but
not to serve; to be loved, but not to love, ... The Christian virtues or
attitudes go in two directions: correcting one's neighbor, and letting oneself
be corrected by one's neighbor, loving and being loved, forgiving and being
forgiven, helping and being helped, ... And this is so simple to understand if
we take into account what Christ has already told us: “Do to others whatever you
would have them do to you. This is the law and the prophets.” (Mt
7: 12)
In today's gospel, Peter asks Jesus how many times he should forgive someone
who offends him, and Peter himself suggests an amount that implies that one
must forgive many times, but Jesus proposes an even greater amount, because we
must forgive every time we are offended. Exactly what we would expect from
those we have offended, that they forgive us every time we offend. This is not
the only time that Jesus mentions something about forgiveness of offenses or
sins committed. Jesus also mentions it in the Lord's Prayer: “and forgive us
our debts, as we forgive our debtors.” (Mt
6: 12). God calls us to great things, and that is why we are
challenged by the Gospel of Jesus Christ to strive and surpass ourselves to be
more and more Christ in us, or in the words of Saint Paul: “yet I live, no longer
I, but Christ lives in me.” (Ga
2: 20). Amen.
Fr.
Carlos Flores, OSA
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