THE HINGE OF FORGIVENESS

Reflection for 24^th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

(Sirach 27:30-28:7; Rm 14:7-9; Mt 18:21-35)

1.0.  “Anger and Wrath, these are abominations”

Have you ever regretted being angry? Anger is one emotion we do not like but it comes up once in a while. Its frequency and degree varies from person to person. Also, the things that provoke our anger and the way we express it varies too. The things that rouse our anger reveal a lot about the values we cherish. If those values are selfish and wrong, the anger they evoke will leave behind a lot of negative side effects. Today’s first reading looks at anger as a means of effecting vengeance and unforgiveness.

Sin and selfishness are the soils in which anger germinate from and grow. Then, forgiveness will release us from the grip of anger and wrath. “Forgive your neighbour the wrong he has done and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray.” Sirach presents forgiveness of neighbour as a pre-condition and necessity for receiving God’s mercy, forgiveness, healing, and answered prayers. In other words, ‘anticipation’ of God’s goodness and judgement should inspire one to be true to the commandments, control anger and overlook the weakness of his neighbour. Therefore, it is the man who expects nothing from the Lord that holds anger and wrath, and seeks vengeance.

2.0.  “None of us lives for himself”

While the Book of Sirach draws us forward into the ‘future of God’ to learn how to overcome anger and forgive, St Paul in the Second reading invites us to look inwards and examine our present life. According to him, we should relocate the centre of our lives away from ourselves and others and establish it in the Lord Jesus Christ. “None of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. If we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord.” It is often when we make ourselves the standard and determinant of ourselves and things around us or when we place certain expectation on others that we easily get hurt and burn with anger and unforgiveness if they fail us.  Thus, What are you living for; what is it you value so much, and what gives your life meaning? Christ Jesus died and rose again that He might be the reason for our existence, the Lord of the living and the dead. So, if ever we want to be angry, it must be to the glory of God.

3.0.  “So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you...”

In the Gospel, Jesus tells the story of the unforgiving servant to show that forgiveness has no limit. This servant received abundant mercy from his master but he refused to forgive his fellow servant who pleaded with him. The story gives us the ‘reason’ to forgive continuously and unconditionally. Forgiveness issues from God; God is the source, He is the first to forgive us. ‘Forgiveness’ comes to us as a gift, as an unmerited grace. Thus, we look ‘backwards’ at what the Master had done, we ought to be appreciative of His generosity. Then, we approach our neighbour’s offences with the grateful disposition the Lord gives.  In other words, the forgiveness we render to those who offend us is a concrete expression of the gratitude we owe to God.

But the unforgiving servant disqualified himself of his master’s mercy. Instead of looking back at his master’s love and generosity and drawing inspiration from there, he made himself the standard of judgement, his pride took hold of him and his anger became his inspiration. As his anger raged, vengeance became his only option for justice. He was described as a ‘wicked’ servant because he hid the gratuitous gift of God from his fellow servant. Yes, this is true, anytime we prevent God’s blessings on us from reaching others, we become ‘wicked.’ The master reversed his mercy on him and treated him with the same standard he applied to his fellow servant. At the end Jesus said, “So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”

Where your treasure is there will your heart be; and where your heart is, from there shall you be provoked. If we look back with gratitude at the love and mercy of God upon us, and hinge all our hope for the future, with all its anticipations and aspirations in divine providence, and at present, locate the centre of our being in Christ Jesus, who died for us, then, anger will never be our habit. At least, the anger that is fuelled by unforgiveness and seeks vengeance will have no place in our hearts. Whatever stirs you to anger and wrath indicates a certain disposition of your heart that is not rooted in Christ Jesus. The Ocean of mercy, the unfathomable Divine Mercy is gushing forth to envelop you and the whole world. Amen.

Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos,
Sunday September 13^th, 2020.
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com