Christ revolutionizes the art of forgiving

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

THAT is the striking lesson we find in the Gospel where Christ amazed Peter by saying we should forgive not merely seven times but seventy times seven, meaning always. His mercy knows no boundaries, no measure, no end. (cfr. Mt. 18:21–19:1)

He then told the moving parable of the servant whose enormous debt was forgiven by his master, yet who refused to pardon a fellow servant over a much smaller debt. The contrast gently reveals the heart of God and the poverty of selfishness.

The lesson is clear and timeless: we are called to forgive others in the very way Christ forgives us. This invitation is not reserved for a chosen few but offered to every believer who wishes to walk in his footsteps.

That is why, when Peter asked how often forgiveness should be given, Christ answered not seven times but seventy times seven. He was teaching that mercy should become a way of life, as constant as God’s own love for us.

This also explains why Christ readily forgave the woman caught in adultery. Even when he healed those suffering from sickness, his deepest concern was first to restore their souls by forgiving the sins that burdened their hearts.

Above all, Christ embraced the Cross to obtain forgiveness for every sin. Through his Resurrection, he transformed our failures into the path of redemption, and what he lovingly did for us, he now asks us to do for one another.

If Christ could extend mercy even to those who nailed him to the Cross—surely the gravest evil imaginable—why do we so often struggle to forgive those who have wounded us in far lesser ways?

We all stumble in one way or another. As St. John reminds us, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (1 Jn. 1:8) Our own lives quietly confirm those inspired words.

No matter how sincerely we strive for holiness, sin still finds its way into our lives because of our wounded nature and the many temptations surrounding us. As St. John teaches, we must face three persistent enemies: the flesh, the devil, and the world.

Yet this truth is not meant to fill us with discouragement. Rather, it invites us to remain humble, aware that we always need God’s grace and should never depend only upon our own strength and wisdom.

This same awareness should also teach us to forgive one another without delay. Since we ourselves constantly receive mercy, we must become generous in giving it to others with grateful and trusting hearts.

Whenever forgiveness becomes difficult, it often reveals that pride has quietly taken root within us. Self-righteousness, vanity, and excessive confidence in ourselves keep us from embracing the merciful heart of Christ.

We need to examine our attitude toward others again and again, especially in a culture that easily feeds feelings of superiority and judgment. These hidden poisons make forgiveness seem difficult and even unnecessary.

For this reason, we must patiently resist that spirit each day. True Christian living asks us to overcome resentment with grace, allowing charity to soften whatever hardness may remain in our hearts.

We should never imagine that justice and mercy stand against each other. They belong together, each completing the other, and whatever conflict appears between them is only superficial and never real.

The surest way to unite them is by following the example of Christ rather than relying solely on our own ideas, however brilliant they may seem. We can always forgive sincerely while still allowing justice to fulfill its rightful demands.

May we always remember that justice blossoms fully only when embraced by mercy, and mercy shines most beautifully when it respects justice. In God’s loving plan, the two are forever united as one.

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com