by Br Paul Culver, O.S.B.

      This week’s readings are centered around forgiveness.  Forgiveness is probably the toughest action for someone who has been hurt.  If you notice, this reflection titled “Charity and Love”.  You are probably wondering why.  Well, without charity and love, it is impossible to forgive.

     God gave us the Commandments and Jesus taught us to pray through the Our Father.  If you remember when the Pharisee asked Jesus which of the Commandments were the greatest, he answered, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.  This is the greatest and the first commandment.”  He then continues, “The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mt 22:37-39).  We are called as Christians to love our neighbors, even our enemies.  If God can love sinners and grant them His mercy, then we should be able to love sinners as well.  For if we love ourselves, we are loving a sinner.  People are going to hurt us, it is in our fallen nature, and we are going to hurt others as well.  But, if we can learn to love with a pure love, then we are living for the Lord.  This is what St. Paul is talking about in the second reading.  We are the Lord’s, therefore, we must not live and die for ourselves, but for Him who created and redeemed us.

     Jesus teaches us through the Our Father that in order for us to be forgiven, we have to forgive.  This is the lesson we receive in today’s Gospel.  Forgiving someone is difficult at times because of the severity of the wound we received and/or our stubbornness. Think of Jesus’ Passion and all of the suffering he endured, yet He was still able to forgive.  Think of the pain we cause Him when we sin, even the smallest of sins, yet He forgives us.  Why?  Because He loves us, so much so he died for us.  When we live for Christ, we love like Christ.  To love like Christ means to forgive like Christ.

     Charity is the greatest theological virtue; “The practice of all the virtues is animated and inspired by charity, which ‘binds everything together in perfect harmony’; it is the form of the virtues…it is the source and the goal of their Christian practice.  Charity upholds and purifies our human ability to love, and raises it to the supernatural perfection of divine love.” (CCC 1827).  Charity is leniency in judging others, performing acts of kindness, to give oneself to those in need.  Charity is agape.

     Forgiveness is done out of love.  Charity helps us to learn to live and love like Christ.  So, as I said in the beginning, being able to forgive relies on charity and love.  Ask Jesus today for the grace of charity to purify your love so that you are able to forgive as he forgives.

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