God asked Ezekiel to make a mock
exile journey as a demonstration for the people and the princes of Israel.
Since they were a rebellious house who refused to listen, maybe they would
learn the lesson for themselves. Ezekiel was to move from his place to another
location like one going into exile. He packed his baggage in the evening before
all the people, dug through the wall like one escaping from intruders. “In
their sight you shall lift the baggage upon your shoulder, and carry it out in
the dark; you shall cover your face that you may not see the land; for I have
made you a sign for the house of Israel.” This was how Ezekiel demonstrated to
them that their rebellious lives would lead them to exile.
In the Gospel, we see how such rebellious heart refuses to forgive. Jesus continues the discussion on forgiveness, which is not conventional. Peter perceived the complications and asked, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him?” ‘Counting sin’ is natural to us. We easily remember past hurts, add it up to the present hurts and deny forgiveness both in the present and in the future. But from Jesus’ teaching, we should treat each offence as it comes and apply forgiveness immediately. So He answered Peter, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.”
He explained deeper with the parable of the unforgiving servant, whose master cancelled his huge debt but he refused to give his fellow servant some time to pay him. Meditating on that story, we notice that the master of this servant was exceedingly generous with mercy. By justice, the servant and his household ought to be sold to pay the debt. This servant knelt down and asked to be given some time for him to raise the money and pay. But the master had pity on him and cancelled out all his debt. He was set free. With this unmerited grace and the freedom given by the master, this servant met his fellow who owed him very little compared to what the master cancelled for him. He started torturing this servant by seizing him by the throat and asking for the money. This fellow servant did not just kneel down, but fell down and pleaded for some time to pay. “He refused and went and put him in prison till he should pay the debt.
Then the master summoned him again and said, “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me; and should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant as I had mercy on you?” The master treated him the same way he treated his fellow servant: with anger, jailed him and made him pay back what he owed. Then Jesus said, “So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.”
God has given us a living example of compassion and abundant mercy in Jesus Christ. He cancels out our sins and sets us free as His Children. Therefore, forgiving those who hurt us becomes our way of appreciating God. We cannot forgive more than God Himself. Yes, only a generous and appreciative person forgives easily. Unforgiveness is a form of rebellion against God’s mercy; it is a way we show that we do not deserve and accept God’s mercy. Ezekiel had demonstrated what happens to rebellious people: they are exiled from God’s compassion and driven to bondage. The strength to forgive comes from God, and the glory of forgiveness goes back to God. If our hearts dwell in the sublime mercy of God, we will not have time to count costs. Each hurt we forgive, though it may be a moment of the Cross, it shall draw us deeper into the overwhelming mercy of God and increases our freedom as children of God. May Almighty God bless you and heal your every hurts + In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Fr Jude Chinwenwa Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic
Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Thursday August 13th,
2020.
www.nwachinwe.blogspot.com
